


Like Her Mother

by Chef_babe



Category: Fruits Basket, Fruits Basket - Takaya Natsuki (Manga)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Original Character(s), set after the manga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-15
Updated: 2015-10-19
Packaged: 2018-03-23 01:26:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 55,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3749839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chef_babe/pseuds/Chef_babe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kyoko has always compared to her father, with her looks and nearly identical personality it's easy to see why. But as she grows up she relies she is more like her mother than she thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Coming home

Her heels clicked as she confidently trotted through the crowds, her skirt swayed with each step as the young woman made her way to the baggage claim. She kept her carry on in the crook of her arm as the sunlight reflected off her designer sunglasses, and the Hermes scarf that she wore on her head kept her from being noticed. The tall blond man walking with her was caring a violin case, and kept the fedora he was wearing covered his eyes.

“Do you know if the driver is at the gate?” She asked without looking at the man. He looked at his phone and nodded.

“Yes, and our luggage has arrived at the main house.” She groaned at the thought, and took a deep breath. It was inevitable if she wanted and kind of privacy she would have to stay at the main house.  
“Will mom and dad be there?” she asked

“I don’t know” She stopped in her tracks

“You don’t think they’ll come to the airport?” He turned around and the young man gave her a quizzical look “Well you remember what happened in Milan. We were almost trampled because someone leaked to the media when we were arriving.” She worries just like her mother, the young man thought.

“es wird alles gut” He said as he put his hand on her back and moved her forward. “Now we really need to go.” As he spoke she noticed whispers from people in the crowed and looked behind her and realized that her scarf had fallen off reviling her orange hair. She turned around and grabbed the scarf and pulled the man with her.

“Come on Momiji we have to go now.” She said as she dragged him through the terminal. As she did cameras began to flash and people started calling to her.

“It’s Kyoko.” “Hey Kyoko” “Kyoko Sohma, a picture please?” as they reached the end of the terminal reporters surrounded the Car that was there to pick them up. They both took a deep breath as they stepped out in to the flair of cameras.

* * *

  
“Now in Local News” The reporter spoke as images of Kyoko and Momiji pushing their way through reporters and in to a car began to roll on the right side of the screen as the reporter continued to speak. “Lead Soprano for the world Opera troop, seventeen year old Kyoko Sohma, has returned home today. Officially the Prima donna is taking some time to be with her family after finishing a successful run at La Scala, but other sources have indicated that this break is due to the spilt between the young Soprano and former boyfriend American Singer/Song writer Adam Blake. The Break-up, once thought to be amicable now is rumored to be rather messy with Blake’s new single, if you never had left, shedding some possible light on the subject. Miss. Sohma will be returning to the stage as she opens the Tokyo Opera House for its season in six months after New Year’s.”

Kyo frowned at the small TV that Shigure had turned on when he walked in to the living room. The older man had come over earlier in the day to drop off something that Thoru needed for the party but had since failed to leave, even after Kyo’s wife went off to the store.

“Ohh So Kyoko is back today?” the former dog asked as Kyo turned the machine off and lightly tapped the top of it with his fist.

“Yeah” he said shaking his head “I don’t get why that is breaking news”

“Kyo, your daughter is a star, and any young star to grace this city with her presences must be properly acknowledged” Shigure said in the same flamboyant tone that he used to use when talking about Thoru or any young girl for that matter.

“I would have hoped that as you got older you would have become less of a perve” the former cat said irritably

“Well I would have hoped that parenthood would have cooled your temper. Ohh well at least you don’t snap at your children.” Shigure said as he followed Kyo’s eye line to the adjacent room. The door had been left open as well as the window. A broom was left in the corner and the mattress was up against the wall.

“She won’t be coming home. I don’t know how to tell Thoru” Kyo walked in the room that smelled of dust and disuse and picked up the picture on the bedside table “I don’t think she will ever come back here to stay.” The older man noticed the slight sadness that had crept in to the younger’s voice, and simply nodded his head.

“You knew that was a risk in letting her go. So why did you?” The elder asked in a reverent tone that reminded anyone that though he joked around Shigure was wiser than he usually acted.

“She is far too talented to stay here like her mother and I did. I was held back by the curse; on the day she was born I promised her I would help her fly as far as she wanted to go.” Kyo stared down at the two faces that occupied the picture one was his and the other of his daughter at the age of four both sitting at the piano laughing. “I just wish it wasn’t so far away” they both sat in silence for a while and then Shigure stood.

“Well I have to go, Akito will have so much to do with all the fuss going on at the main house, she asked me to watch our son till the party tomorrow. Make sure to tell Thoru and Neko I said hello.” The old dog said before he stepped out leaving Kyo alone with his thoughts.


	2. Together Again

               The door the class room opened, interrupting the class. “I am sorry to bother you but Neko Sohma, your mother is here to pick you up.” The young boy gathered his things and followed the teacher down the hall. As they walked he spoke “So your mother tells me that your sister is back in town.”

                “Yeah, Kyoko told me that she would be back for six months this time.” He said excitedly. Opening his locker and changing his shoes Neko looked in the mirror and saw his blue eyes stare back at him and ran his fingers through his brown hair that seemed to go everywhere. He had often been told that with the exception of his eye and hair color he was the spitting image of his father at his age. He closed his locker and made his way out to his mother.

                “Mom, is she here?” Neko asked as he ran towards his mother who had sat on the bench with a few bags from her shopping trip.

                “Yes, but Neko what is going on with your hair?” Thoru asked as she tried to tame the spiked mess.  “Oh, well lets go your father is meeting us at the estate.” She picked up the bags and they both began to walk towards the estate. Once they got about halfway there the met up with Kyo.

                “Dad” Neko screamed as he ran to his father who promptly got him up on to his shoulders.

                “Man bud, you are almost too big to do this anymore.”

                “But I am only six” the young boy wined as the fence of the estate came in to view  just as a black car drove in to the estate that a large group of people tried to follow in. 

                “What’s going on?” Thoru asked as they approached a large group of reporters saw them and began to ask all sorts of questions.

                 “Are you Miss Sohma’s parents?” “How is she doing?” “Is there going to be any backlash?” “I hear she is refusing to sing any comments” as they tried to push their way through the crowd two police officers approached them.

                “All right you vultures get away let them through” the two large men shouted as they escorted the family through the gates.

                “So you have arrived that’s good. Here we will take your bags to the gathering hall.” A servant greeted them at the gate and as she spoke the gates closed, though you could still hear the muffled shouting of questions through it.

                “WHATS GOING ON OUT THERE?” Kyo snapped.

                “They have been lined up out there all night Master Kyo. Master Momiji said he will make a statement that should satisfy them for now but he wants to talk to you and Mrs. Sohma before.” The servant bowed out and the family began to make its way back to their house.

* * *

 

        Kyoko’s head rested on the window of the car they rode in allowing her to gaze out the window. The once chilled glass now did nothing but keep her head from completely falling over. The former rabbit watched his cousin with great concern, she is getting worse I don’t know how I am going to explain this to her parents. Her sunglasses were worn on top of her head, which reviled her puffy eyes one blue and one red.

         As the car pulled up to the main house, both could see the flashes of cameras going off as the car pulled through and drove on. Once they came to a stop there was a knock on the door and it opened. Momiji stepped out first and greeted Hatori. 

        “Hari” Momiji said as he opened his arms to hug the doctor.

        “Momiji it’s good to see you. And where is this bride of yours we all are anxious to meet her.” Hatori asked as they stepped away from each other. Two years ago Momiji had met an American cellist; the pair had a whirl wind romance that developed in to them getting married a year ago in Italy where they met.

        “Hanna is finishing up her spot in the philharmonic in San Francisco but she will be joining us later.”  The blonde said while smiling he couldn’t wait to show off his bride to the family especially the former zodiacs.

         “And where is Kyoko?” he asked as the girl exited the car keeping her eyes hidden in her bangs. “If I may say so you look more like your mother every time I see you.”  She looked up and the former dragon saw the pain in her eyes that she usually hid. Walking past him without even a hello she entered the house her family owned inside the main estate.  She went directly to her room and curled up in to the already made bed. As she did the tear she had been holding back flowed down her cheeks as she covered her mouth with her hand in order to mask the sound of her sorrow. 

* * *

 

             Momiji and Hatori looked on as Kyoko walked in to the house and out of their sight. The blonde shook his head and sighed. 

                “What’s going on?’ Hatori asked and the car drove away.

                “She hasn’t been the same since the split. She won’t tell me anything but all she does is sleep, eat and preform. That is until the song came out.” The former rabbit leaned up against the railing of the house “Once that song came out she stopped singing, thankfully the show had already closed.  I moved things around so that she would have some time to get over Adam and rest up a little, but she hasn’t sung in weeks and that’s not like her.” 

                “I’ll give her a check-up then. If her parents come catch them up” the dragon said as he entered the house.  Momiji sat on the porch and pulled out his violin and began to play. After about twenty minutes Kyo walked up with Neko on his shoulders and Thoru right beside him. Momiji set aside the instrument and gave Thoru a big hug.

                “Momiji we missed you.” Thoru said as Neko got off his father’s shoulders as launched himself at the former rabbit.

                “Your back! Where is sissy?” he asked as the violinist put him back on the ground.

                “She is inside but I think we need to talk first.” Tea was brought and they all gathered in the living room as Neko did his homework the adults talked.

                “So how bad is it?” the orange haired man asked

                “Not good.” The blonde filled them in on everything he knew “to be honest I don’t think six months is not going to be enough, but is the biggest gap I could get her.”

                “Maybe she’ll feel like taking later I brought stuff to make dinner here. Oh hi Hatori” Thoru said as the doctor walked in to the living room.

                “How is she Hari?” Momiji asked

                “Physically fine but I would recommend getting her home as soon as possible. She needs to be somewhere familiar.” 

                “So what are you going to tell those leaches to make them go away?” Kyo asked as Hatori left. 

                “Don’t worry leave it to me.” Momiji said as he left the house.

* * *

 

                Momiji stood in front of the open gate and had all of the reports facing him “There has been many rumors going around as to what is going on with Kyoko. Well I am here to tell you that after having barley seen her family in almost two years Kyoko wanted a nice long stay.”

                “But Mr. Sohma why isn’t she telling us herself?” a reporter interjected

                “Shortly after her finished run at La Scala she was told to rest her voice, and on the way over here she caught a little laryngitis. In a week she should be back to singing.”

                “Any comments on Adam’s new single?”

                “Not at this time thank you” As he turned around he could hear more questions shouting as the gates closed and the police moved them away from the door.

                “Well done Momiji” Akito said as she walked up to the gate “But do you really think they will buy it?”

                “No, but if we didn’t say anything it would have gotten worse. Now at least it should have given them enough to leave us alone for a while.”

                “So what do you think?”

                “I think Kyoko needs to tell us what happened.”


	3. Party Crasher

“Yes, she is back... No there is no need for that. I made more than enough food and I know that Neko always likes to see you…. Will Hanna be coming?... No… oh well I hope she feels better soon. Tell her I’ll stop by tomorrow afternoon with some soup…. Ok, well we will see you in a little bit. Bye.” Thoru hung up the phone as she continued to cook dinner.

                “Was that Shishou?’ Kyo asked from the living room, after Momiji had left Kyo had got to check on his daughter but when he found her asleep, they decided to let her rest till dinner was ready. 

                “Yep he is coming over, Hanna is sick with a stomach bug so she won’t be coming over but she said that she’ll be better for the party on Friday.” Thoru said as she continued to cook after about thirty minutes had passed there was a knock on the door.

                “Alright Grandpa’s here!” Neko shouted as he bolted for the door and opened it. The old master grinned as the little boy attempted to wrap his arms around his legs only to be stopped by his father  who picked him up and held him in his arm next to his hip. “Aww come on dad put me down” Kyo sighed

                “Neko why don’t you let him get in the door before you climb all over him.” Kyo scolded as he set Neko back on his feet.

                “Master it’s good to see you” the former cat said as he hugged his mentor.

”yes, where is Kyoko?” the Older mas asked as he stepped in to the house. Thoru walked out of the kitchen and gave the man a hug.

“She is in her room asleep why don’t you go wake her up.” She said as she walked back in to the kitchen.  Kyo pointed the way down the hall and Shishou walked into the dark room. Reaching over he turned on the lamp and as the room filled with light, and as Kyo stood in the door way he say the dullness that filled his daughter’s eyes. _I am going to kill the guy who did this to her_.

“Hello, little one I take it you have had a long journey?” Shishou said as he sat on the bed. Kyoko’s long orange hair fell over most of the pillows and a little hung over the opposite side. Her slender frame was slightly curled up as if to defend herself against something.

“Yeah” The lack of anything in her voice scared Kyo, even when she was sick as a child she always seemed to have inherited his defiant spirit. Now it seemed to have vanished.

“Dinner is ready. Why don’t you come eat?” the old man said.

“Not hungry” She said shaking her head slightly without lifting it.

“hmmm, Have I ever told you about the day you were born ?” the older man asked.

 “No Grandpa” Kyoko spoke and the old man heard the weakness as it crept in. As the old man spoke Kyo remembered that night like it was yesterday.

_The new year’s party was in full swing and as per tradition the banquet as well. With a hand supporting her back the former cat helped his wife sit down at the table as Rin chatted with Thoru catching up._

_“So how far along are you?” The former horse asked as Haru sat down next to her._

_“Oh I am seven months” Thoru smiled as she rubbed her protruding midsection._

_“Well we will know soon enough if the curses really gone” Haru said which made the room grow quiet. Though before anyone could say anything a loud bang rang out through the hall as Haru’s face collided with the table with Rin’s hand pressed against the back of the former ox’s head._

_“You idiot do you ever think before you open your mouth.”  Rin shouted. As the scene played out before her Thoru turned as someone called her name, as Kagura and Momiji joined in the argument with Haru._

_“Ohh, Uo!” Thoru tried to stand to greet her friend and her husband Kureno but found a hand holding her down._

_“Thoru the doctor said you need to stay off of your feet.” Kyo wrapped an arm around her waist and placed a hand on to her stomach as he felt his child kick against it. “Please stay seated for a while. Everyone will understand”_

_The tender moment was interrupted by a few voices coming from behind him. “Well,well. It seems that our young Thoru has broken the ever defiant lucky Kyo.” “Yes Aya I think you are right”_

_“You both are idiots” Kyo shouted over his shoulder afraid to move knowing the second he did Thoru would be on her feet again._

_“Yess!!!!!!!!”  The two responded but were quickly pulled apart when Akito can up behind Shigure and dragged him by the ear over to the head of the table as the rest of the group filled in. The former god cleared her throat and every one calmed down and took their seats._

_“Tonight we celebrate not only the changing of the year but also the bringing together of family” She paused for a moment as almost everyone clapped. Kyo Moved his hands from around Thoru’s stomach to rest on her sides and began to rub the tense muscles there. The entire trip she hand ben having Braxton Hicks contractions. Or at least that is what she thought they were. “Now as I have never been one for long speeches let the Banquet…”  Before Akito could finish her sentence there as load gasp coming form Thoru_

_“I am Sorry Akito… Ahhh” She shouted again as another pain shot through her back. Kyo looked at his wife and before he could ask anything she cried out again in pain._

_“Hatori!” The whole group shouted. As the doctor can in he knelt beside Thoru who was still cringing in pain, as her face relaxed he spoke._

_“All right let’s get you to my office and check you out” He nodded towards Yuki to help Kyo Lift her as he did Kyo noticed the damp spot on the floor._

_“Her Waters broke hurry” the Older man said as Thoru was lifted and in being moved_

_“No! I Still have two more months” she cried the loudest any of them had ever heard her as panic crept in to her voice._

_“That’s not for you to decide. This baby apparently wants to come out.” As the trio was moving toward the examination room Hatori was shouting orders.  As soon as they set Thoru down another wave of pain hit and she cried out. It would be two more hours before the baby would come. Kyo sat next to his wife as Hatori lead her though._

_“Alright the head is out now just one more push and the baby will be here.” With one final scream the new year’s bells rang and the baby cried “It’s a girl” As Hatori began to clean off his daughter Kyo noticed a shocked look on the usually stoic doctors face. “I’ll go inform the others”_

_“Kyo bring her over here I want to see her” Kyo stood up once he gazed at his daughter he was paralyzed by the little orange tuff of hair that came from her head, and when she opened her eyes as he picked her up it was hard not to notice the one red eye that stared back at his own. He grabbed another blanket and wrapped his daughter in it and ran out of the room._

_“Kyo!?” Thoru called after him but he barley registered and as he passed by the banquet hall the faint call from the others seemed so far away. Exiting the building and running towards the next he slammed the door open and found the person he had been looking for_

_“Master please you have to hold her I have to know!” he shouted as he held his precious bundle out towards the man he considered his father. Kyo held his breath as his master cradled the bundle close and looking upon the child that was inside._

_The older man taking a breath understanding the situation as soon as his eyes saw her hair color. He gently unwrapped the blanket and placing it on his shoulder and held her close after a few moments he chuckled as Kyo took a very relived breath. “Well what is all the fuse about just because she looks like you?” the older man asked as he wrapped the child back up and handing her to her father who for the first time really looked at his daughter. As the moment passed his master saw the shift as Kyo held his daughter close not realizing that Hatori had come up behind him._

_‘You know you’re lucky you have her.” Hatori said in his usual monotone “You need to get back to your wife who though she should be resting is in a state of panic because you ran out of there with her daughter without a word.” he said gripping Kyo’s should just hard enough to get the point but not so hard as to make him drop the baby.  As He turned to leave Kyo felt another hand on his shoulder._

_“I’ll visit you three tomorrow” His master said a Kyo never broke eye contact with his daughter as she began to fuss_

_“Alright my little one let’s get you back to your mother” Kyo whispered to his daughter._

 “Okay but what does that have to do with anything?” she asked

“Well little one, you are and have been loved since you crashed the party all those years ago.” Kyo chuckled lightly as he watched his master lift his daughter’s chin to look at him as he continued. “Now I know that it may seem like it right now but in time things will get better. So there is no reason for you to cause your mother any more worry “

“I guess you’re right.” Kyoko said reluctantly as she started to get out of bed. Knowing mom she’ll think this is all her fault, Damn it, why can’t everyone just let me be. 

“Hey don’t you think just because you don’t have an more shows to do doesn’t mean your training stops” Kyo said as if reading her thoughts

“I am on vacation” She said with a little bit of the fire she used to have coming back in to her voice

“Nope Early tomorrow we are going to run through drills and then after lunch its back in that piano room, a little rabbit told me you’ve stopped practicing” Kyo said with a smirk 

“Damn it” she shouted as she passes her father in the hall “Okay but if I kick your ass in both you have to leave me alone for a week”

“Alright you’re on” Kyo said as he puts a hand on his daughter’s head and ruffs up her hair. As their fighting could be heard down the hall Momiji takes a relived breath, _hopefully this means she will start to get over him_. 

* * *

 

The TV screen lit the otherwise dark room. Its glow illuminating the younger man who sat in front of it "now in international news, Kyoko Sohma returns home today...." As the news caster continues to prattle on the disheveled youth stares at the screen waiting for a glimpse as he catches it he pauses the screen and does a quick check, _well she has seemed to changed_ he thinks as the image files his vision and he blocks out everything but the image on the screen. Pressed the call button on his phone, he listens as the phone plays the message that he has heard over and over again.

 "Hi, you have reached Kyoto Sohma, I am unable to answer the phone at this moment. If this is regarding any business please contact my cousin Momiji Sohma for any bookings, if not please leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Bye." Her voice filled his ears as he listen to the recording once again. After a moment there was a beep and an automated voice saying inbox full.

He didn't care that it was he who filled her inbox, nor that several of the message had been left while he had been drunk and desperate to just talk to her. He didn't understand why she had just shut him out the note he had been delivered after his concert in Rome  made no sense and she had refused to talk to him since. As he sat on the coach he glanced over at the ticket that was taped to the mirror the same note written in her lipstick next to it. For when you miss me. Vaguely he heard a knock on his door and the voice of the tour manager coming from the other side. "Come on Adam it's time for the mic check."


	4. Fond Memories

"Riku!" Neko called as he saw his cousin walking past "Did you hear? Did you hear?" The little boy ran up to his cousin as he reached him.

"Yeah I did" as the younger man spoke the sound of two pianos filled the yard at the Sohma estate. "Oh hey Momiji" the young man greeted the former rabbit.

“No it can’t be” The blonde “Little Riku?” he measured his height against the younger mam and found that he was just a few inches taller than the boy who the last time he saw was a good foot shorter than him. “You had some growth spurt.”

"Yeah but it’s been what a year? What’s that?" As Riku asked the little boy that had somehow gotten on to his back.

 “hmmm I think it’s Ragtime alla turca by Mozart but I am not sure" as the little boy spoke the notes from one piano went flat as a loud smash on the keys could be heard.

“Damn it" Kyoko yelled as her father laughed.

 "Ah not so perfect are we?" Kyo said as Kyoko stormed out of the music room.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Kyo stood in the door watching his daughter stomp her foot in to the ground.

"What's going on?" Momiji asked as he looked between Kyo and his daughter.

 "She just lost a bet, and now there is no getting out of any training" Kyo teased as Kyoko looked up at him with distain on her face.

"Just you wait I am going to beat you!" She screamed.

“hmm where have I heard that before?" a smooth voice said as he approached the group.

"Uncle Yuki!" Neko jumped off Riku's back as he charged towards the former rat but before he could reach he was stopped by his sister.

 "Ugh must you climb on everyone?" She said exasperated as she picked him up and moved back towards the music room.

“Hey Yuki, what are you doing here?” The orange headed man asked as he watched Neko get out of his daughters grasp and climb his way up on her shoulders. As he pulls his attention over the conversion at hand, out of the corner of his eyes he can see both of his children in the middle of an odd game of wills that Neko seemed to be winning as Kyoko failed to remove him from her shoulders.

“Well I came to pick up my son. Are you ready to go Riku?” Yuki asked looking at his boy and ignoring the common site of his two younger cousins fighting. Standing at equal height Riku looked like a mirror image of his father but he had his mother’s brown hair.

“Not yet.” He said digging through his back pack “Where is it? Dad, could you please tell mom to stop un-organizing my bag?” The young man said as he placed the pack on the ground and started pulling everything out.

“Riku, if I could do that then the sugar wouldn’t be in the tea jar.” The look alikes shared a laugh as Riku hands Kyo a packet and shoves everything else back in to his bag.

“Okay I’ll deal with that later” Riku mumbles to himself as he turns to Kyo “There is the paper work that needs filled out, the school said that she can’t just attend part time but they are giving her three extra free periods to rehearse with you and Momiji. They are expecting her to start on Monday giving you all the weekend to get her uniform together.”

“Wait What?!” Kyoko shouted as she dropped Neko on the ground as stormed over to her cousin “What do you mean they won’t let me I am not going to be here that long.”

“They said it’s not fair to the other students.” 

“But!?”

“Kyoko!” her father warned as he saw her about to explode “Your mother and I feel that you need interaction with regular teenagers while you are here. Please don’t make a big scene about this” Kyoko storms past her father and runs out of site muttering the whole way “Don’t worry she’ll calm down.” 

“Well she seems to be taking this about as well as you did” Yuki said with a smile as Riku looked exhausted just from one confrontation. _I wish they hadn’t put us in the same class she is going to make the next six months hell._ Riku thought as he turned towards the car and saw his mother out of it picking petals off of the flowers in the garden by the car.

“Um Dad” Riku said as he pointed toward the scene

“Matchi!” Yuki called with a hint of amusement as the woman who looked somewhat satisfied with her work as she headed back towards the car. “Well we better go before she finds Akito’s garden and does the same thing”  

“Hmm, well what do you want to do?” Momiji turned to Kyo as Neko ran off down the same hall his sister had gone.

“Nothing, Kyoko knew that she had to attend school with this long break and just like everyone else she has to follow their rules. I am surprised they are giving her so much time free.” The former cat said as he walked in to the room placing the paper work on the piano as Momiji came up behind him and closed the door.

“Still you know she is going to cause a fuss. Your daughter has never been okay with just the status quo.” The Blonde said as he sat at the bench not bothering to play anything.

“Well she is just going to have to get used to following the rules.” Kyo said as he noticed Thoru coming up the hall. “Here is the paper work we need to fill out.” He said addressing his wife.

“Okay, Kyoko looked upset.” The woman spoke as she opened the packet a glanced at its contents.

“Oh let me guess she is on the roof?” Momiji laughed as he spoke

“I think so” Thoru said as she glanced over the last of the paperwork and placing it back in to the folder. “I am going to give her some space and then I am going to talk to her. “

“Oh, Mommy you forgot something!” Neko shouted from the other room, snickering could be heard along with a fait whistle.

“The tea Kettle!” Thoru Shouted as she ran back down the hall as the two men laughed.

* * *

 

“Ah Ha I found you” Thoru sated firmly as her daughter jumped at the sight of her mother climbing on to the roof.

“Mom?” Kyoko asked as the older woman sat beside her daughter.

“I haven’t done this since high school” She said while looking up at the star covered sky.

“You used to sit on the roof?” the younger girl asked as she stared at her mother in shock

“Well more like, I was looking for your father. Whenever he used to get really angry and needed to cool off, I always knew that to find him I just had to go to the highest place around.” The brunette sighed at the fond memories

“Ugh, are you just going to say it’s one more way you are like your father” Kyoko grumbled as she laid down with her hand behind her head. Looking over at her daughter Thoru had a hard time not seeing the resemblance Kyoko shared to her dad. 

“Well, Yes actually” she said a little nervously. “Then again I don’t see why you would not like the comparison.”  Kyoko looked over at her mother and raised an eyebrow at her comment, “You see I have very few memories of my father, so whenever someone would draw a comparison between myself and him I was always so happy.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t change the fact that once people realize I am more like dad than you they tend to …” Kyoko paused for a moment as she tried to figure out how to explain her self but as she did  it just angered her more “Ahh, they just don’t get it” she said irritated.

“No, I guess not.  Most teenagers haven’t had the chance to live the way you have.”  Thoru said calmly “But if you’re worried about them, well my mother always used to tell me to just be myself. Everything will be fine.”

“I guess, but that doesn’t change the fact that everywhere I go I have to trend lightly. No matter what I do I have to excel” determination rang in the young girl’s voice.

“Why is that? You know it’s okay to just be a teenager, you don’t have to do everything the way I used to do”

“How is that? We are nothing alike”

“Oh really I can remember plenty of time when you were trying to master any piece…” As she spoke the memory filled her mind,

_The sound of piano music filled the house every few minutes the speed would slow down for a few measures as each note was played carefully and perfectly. Thoru cooked dinner as the door to the side yard was opened. Kyo came in behind his wife and placed his arms around her waist as he kissed her head._

_“How long has she been practicing?” he asked as he move towards the fridge and removed a carton of milk and took a large drink from it._

_“Hmm since she got home.” Thoru replied as she continued making dinner for her small family “When I picked her up from her sinning lesson she said she had to perfect the music you gave her.” Kyo listened to the music coming from down the hall and recognized it as Fliur Elise by Beethoven._

_“I just gave her that music last week there is no way she could have it perfected by now.”  Kyo said as a loud clank came for the music room both adults ran out of the kitchen. When they reached the music room they saw their seven year old daughter with her head lying on the keys. Kyo moved over sitting next to her as he lifted her head and placed a hand on to her forehead. “Man, she has a fever”_

_“What!?” Thoru placed hand on her daughter’s forehead as Kyo picked her up. “Kyoko if you’re sick you really should be in bed.”_

_“Like you have room to talk” Kyo said jokingly as he kissed is wife’s cheek and began walking towards Kyoko’s bedroom_

_“No, I have to practice. I have to get it right.”  The little girl mumbled weakly as she snuggled in to her dad’s arms_

_“Little one, you don’t have to push yourself so hard.” He said softly as he shifted her so she was lying on his chest with her arms wrapped around his neck, as he massaged smooth circles on her back with his free hand. His mind briefly floated back toward the curse that long ago had been lifted and was once again thankful that his daughter lived in a world where it did not exist._

_“But I can’t stop just because of a fever” she said as she began drifting off to sleep. Just as she had when she was an infant, he was the only one could put her to sleep when she would get sick. He chuckled lightly as he placed her in to her bed as Thoru cane beside him and placed a towel on her head as he turned the music box next to her bed as the song began the tinkling keys of a piano played a soft lullaby._

“Yeah maybe.”  Kyoko said as she thought as the soft melody of music floated up through the celling as she recognized her father playing the same song that seemed to bring back the same memory her mother was referring to. “But then why doesn’t everyone else see it?”

“Maybe, because they are spending too much time looking at the qualities that you and your father share.” Thoru said softly as she stood up. “Alright I have dinner to finish do you want to help me?”

“Sure” Kyoko said as she jumped off the roof as her mother climbed down the ladder.

* * *

 

The night sky was lit by stars as Kyo sat in the garden listening to the sounds of the night as he could hear the sound of the music box coming from Neko’s room.  It had been that box that started it all. It had once belonged to his mother and he can remember every night as she tucked him in to bed she would check for his beads and then he would listen as she would turn the box and he would wait for the music to carry him off in to his dreams. When Thoru found out she was pregnant he began searching for that box wanting his own children to be comforted by its soft melody.

_He ended up having to look through his father’s home. After the curse had broken his father diapered saying that it wasn’t fair that he should live every day without retribution.  As he found the box and was about to leave he looking in to the old music room and remembered the only fond memories of his childhood had been sitting at the piano that was inside.  Sitting down at the instrument he began playing and though it was in desperate need of a tuning he still was able to play every piece form memory.  As he continued to play the memories of his mother, her sitting next to him teaching him, smiling, laughing, and being happy filled his mind._

_As soon as he left he went straight to Akito, Finding her and Shigure in her own private garden._

_“Akito, do you have any plans for the piano in my father’s old house?” He said as soon as he walked in to the garden_

_“No” the woman responded as she regarded the petals falling from the trees with her back to him “Why do you ask?”_

_“I’d like to move it to the house Thoru and I just bought”_

_“Why, I would think that anything from that house would only bring back painful memories. Hum Besides that deal we made I never took you for a glutton for punishment.”  She said looking over her shoulder._

_“Akito, why not let him take it” Shigure said not looking up from his book_

_“And why do you think I should Pet?” Akito turned her attention to the older man siting beneath a tree._

_“Well for one that piano belonged to his mother, it was never purchased by us and there for should belong to her son, besides other than Momiji who incidentally is out of the country every other month, Kyo is the only one could even play with a monogram of skill.” He said putting his book down and leaning over to her cupping her face in his hand “Plus it would free up the house, I know you have plans for it once it is emptied.”_

_“Shigure must you take all of my fun?”  Akito whined without even looking back over her shoulder she spoke “Alright you can take it but with one condition.”_

_After agreeing Kyo had the piano quickly moved from the Main Estate to their own home.  Once they had realized they were about to become parents they had moved closer to all of the family. As Thoru was still unpacking boxes Kyo showed the men where to put the piano and called for a tuner to come and retighten the strings. After the piano was in place Thoru walk in to the room as her husband got to work dusting and re polishing the grand piano._

_"What’s going on here?" She asked placing a hand on the bump that was only visible when she was unclothed._

_"This piano belonged to my mother, I want our children to at least learn the basics of playing" he said as he noticed a nick in one of the legs._

_"Ohh are we going to hire a teacher?" She asked and that her husband began to chuckle._

_"No I can teach them." He said the confusion on her face clear "When I was younger sitting at this piano and teaching me to play was the happiest time in my life after she died it hurt to play but master made me practice at least three times a week I stopped after I moved in to Shigure’s. Shishou didn't want me to be solely focused on fighting and despite the fact I wanted to quit at the time I am glade he pushed me to keep practicing."_

_“Okay what are these  boxes from"  she said as the men who hand help move the piano stack and extra ten boxes against the wall and promptly left._

_"In order to bring the piano home with me I had to take everything from my dad's house this is everything the main house wouldn't take."_

_"Oh well what's in the boxes?"  she asked as she walked over to them and began to open one._

_"I don't know my father packed them up just look for music and the rest can be trash."_

_"But" she said as she turned towards her husband but he interrupted her._

_"No, I don't want reminders of that house, just throw it all away!" It wasn't long after that one day as Kyo sat at the he table waiting for breakfast, but as it was set down in front of him so was a photo. It was of him and his mother, he was about four years old and his little fingers were pressed hard enough against the keys that the white showed on his knuckles. He looked very happy and so did his mother. He looked up as Thoru continued to wash the dishes; he got up and wrapped her in his arms from behind. "Thank you" he said in to her hair._

_"I know you past has been painful, but shutting out that part of you is just going to make you resentful. I know I never meet your father but from what I heard he seems to have a lot that he regrets. Regrets make you lose sight of all the good things. This baby is the outcome of all the good that has happened in your life don't ever forget that." Thoru turned around in his arms and leaned up and gave him a chaste kiss. "Okay?"_

"What are you thinking about?" Thoru interrupted his thoughts as she sat down next to her husband on the porch.

"The day I brought home the piano" Thoru chuckled

 "Yeah those boxes are still in the attic do you want to open them up?"  After finding three boxes full of music, the rest were full of items that Thoru had no idea what to do with every now and then Kyo would go through one and sort everything out but usually he could only make it through one box at a time. After seventeen years three more boxes remained.

"Not right now."

 "Kyo "  a slight tremor could be heard in her voice.

"Yeah?"  He asked sensing a question behind his name.

“Do you want another baby?"  She asked as she looked down.

 "I don't know right now..." as he spoke piano music came from inside the house “I think we have all the children we can deal with. Why?"

 "Cause I was thinking another baby would be nice" she said with a smile.

 "Okay if you feel the same way in six months we will talk about it"

"Are you going to go to her?"  Recognizing the piece they had played earlier today, hearing her fingers slip and the notes go flat, he chuckled as the piece was started from the beginning again.

"As long as she doesn't wake up Neko I don't care, she is seventeen she is not going to listen anyway."


	5. She Said

Kyoko stared at the wooden ceiling from her position laying on the floor with her hands under her head she bounced her foot on her raised knee. _There has to be a way to get out of this stupid school_ , she thought. With both of her parents gone to work and Neko at his own school, happily she had been left alone for a few hours.

"Hey I don't hear any practicing" the sing song nag of Momiji came wafting through the house. Kyoko groaned as the blonde can in to view, she placed her hand in the pockets of her pants not even turning her head to look at him.

"I did my karate drills this morning despite the fact Neko wanted used everything and everyone as a jungle gym, and dad ran through some Chopin with me before he had to leave for the dojo."

                "And what about your scales and arpeggios?" He said knowingly. The teen rolled her eyes at this and scoffed. _What is with everyone lately, Practice Practice Practice, that all I ever do what am I some performing monkey?_  She thought a she sat up and faced Momiji, her hands resting on her crossed ankles.

 "Well if you don't want to practice how about we talk." He said sitting on the pillow next to the table.

"What about?" She eyed her manager carefully.

 "Adam" her stomach drop and it was easy to see the surprise and hurt on her face.

"Actually Momiji I have to go over my scales if you don't mind" she said standing up and running to the piano. As the note sounded so did her voice "LA LA LA LA LA LA LA " as she worked through her scales Momiji pulled out his phone sending a quick text to his wife, and began listening to his messages. As he finished she started working on her arpeggios.

As her voice carried its self over the estate.

                "Ah what a lovely sound" Shigure sighed as he sat in the open door way to Hatori's office.

"Shigure is there any particular reason as to why you decided to bother me right now?" The doctor asked never looking up from his paperwork.

 "Ohh well Akito had to go on some errands and demanded I stayed here" the writer said with a pout.

 "And why did that stop you from accompanying her?" He said looking over his shoulder to look at his old friend.

 "Well she told me that I needed to stay a talk with my publisher.” he said in a small voice.

 "So let me guess she doesn't know you are hiding from your publisher" the doctor said plainly as he returned to his paper work closing is eyes momentarily to enjoy the talented voiced that carried through the open door.

"What makes you say that?" the former dog said offended.

In another part of the estate a woman was sitting on her knees, sobbing by a door which a note taped to it "out to find inspiration".

* * *

 

"Hey it’s almost 2 do you want to stop for some lunch?" Momiji asked popping his head in to the music room

 "Yeah" the orange haired girl said as she placed the music that was in her hand on top of the piano and closed the lid over the keys.

"Come on I'll take you to one of my favorite places." As the two walked across the estate, they saw a crying woman sitting next to a door.

"I guess Shigure hasn't changed much" the girl stated as they walked by, stuffing her hands in to the hoodie she wore.

 "You know it’s hard to remember that you’re really not really a girly girl."

"Well I didn't realize we were leaving the estate." She said as she pulled her sunglasses off her head to cover her eyes. "I would have changed."

 "Why?"

"I shouldn't have to tell you!" she said as they walked through the gate a few flashes caught her attention but she quickly ignored then. That is why I would have changed. They walked in silence for a few minutes and walked in to a restaurant. Thankfully the press didn't follow. As they took their seats the waitress came up and asked what they wanted.

 "The dumplings" Momiji said as he poured himself a cup of tea from the pot that had been placed on the table.

 "I'll have the soba noodles with grilled cod and no leeks in the noodles." Kyoko said as she stared in to her tea cup. He chuckled to himself as he remembered the first time they had gone out to eat after Thoru had announced that she was pregnant.

_“Momiji, you didn’t have to do this” Thoru said as they all sat down in the restaurant, Kisa on her left and Kyo on her right._

_“Aww let him” Kyo said as he opened the menu so that Thoru could look at it too “Besides if we are moving closer we should be saving our money” He said as he kissed the side of her head._

_“What! You’re moving back!” Kagura said as she joined the table. Conversation went on as they waited to place their order._

_“Hey your stomach has been upset lately please eat something light” Kyo whispered in to his wife’s ear as she was trying to figure out what to order._

_“Ohh I’ll have the leek soup”  the horrified look on Kyo’s face when she orders made Momiji laugh, when Thoru saw she began to panic “Oh wait I know I’ll order something else may be some rice, and grilled fish or” before she went on Kyo put his hand in front of her mouth and kissed her head again_

_“Is fine just don’t expect me to kiss you till you brush your teeth” he said as a relived look came over her face, the group continued to talk as they waited for their food. When it was brought to the table, Thoru made a face as her soup was put down in front of her. Tentatively she took a bite and as she did she immediately got up from the table, and while covering her mouth ran toward the restroom with Kyo fallowing behind her._

_“What’s wrong?” the waitress asked seeing that the two chairs were all of a sudden empty._

_“I don’t know the soup smell fine, I Hope Sissy is okay” Kisa said as she looked to Momiji and Kagura for an understanding._

_“I am sure she is fine some time women who are pregnant just get upset stomachs” Momiji said hoping he was right._

_“Ohhh well that explains it, I’ll get her something else” the waitress said as she removed the soup when met with blank stares she explained “When you’re pregnant sometimes food that normally would taste fine to you all of a sudden become repulsive.” When a somewhat green looking Thoru came back to the table with Kyo following her, a plate of plain rice and grilled fish was placed in front of her. When she looked around the table for answers Momiji spoke up._

_“Apparently the little one that’s inside of you has the same aversion to leeks that its father has” the blonde said with a laugh._

 "It must be genetic even when she was pregnant with you and Neko your mother couldn't go anywhere near leeks” He prattled on as the memory faded. 

"Momiji I know you brought me out to talk about Adam, so I don't know why you are starting with small talk?" Kyoko never looking up from her cup continued "I don't know what else you want to know he ended it, I fell for his lies. That's it that is all that happened"

"Where you arguing?" Any trace of light handedness gone from his voice and face.

"No” she said quietly.

"Was he pressuring you?"

 "Ugh god no!" she said as she choked on her tea.

 "They why"

“I don't know he gave me some bullshit answers and then when I tried to call him his number was disconnected" Agitation reached deep in her voice as she wished that he would drop the subject.

"So?"

 "So what all I know is one minute we are happy and the next he left me a note at the ticket counter instead of a pass and when I tried to just buy one to see him face to face the girl at the counter told me that she and every other seller were to never sell me a ticket!" She yelled. When the food arrived they ate quietly as the blond thought about what he had just been told. Okay it’s time to talk to Sarah, Sarah was Adams handler if anything was going on with him she would know about it.  As Momiji paid Kyoko quickly made her way to the door.

"Wait" the half German man called out to her but she quickly turned around and shouted.

"Leave me alone!" She ran out the door and away from the estate no caring where as long as she was left in peace. When she slowed down she tried to get her bearings. As she leaned against a wall somewhere downtown she heard someone call to her

"Kyoko?" She looked over and a woman stood there with a blonde baby on her hip.

"Aunt Kisa?" The younger girl asked as she stepped away from the wall, as she did Kyoko immediately walked into a wall of black hair.

"Ohh Kyoko I thought I felt your electric signals closed by." Hanna said as she turned around the orange hair girl was pulled in to a tight hug.

 "Aww. We have missed you." Said the voice that the arms which had wrapped around her belonged to.

 "Aunt Ou?!"

 "Who else would it be little orange top!" She said while still holding on tight.

   "What’s going on?" She asked while trying to dislodge herself.

"We just finished having lunch with your mother." Kisa answered as the baby on her hip cooed and shook her fist. “What are you doing here?”

“Momiji pissed me off and I needed some space.” She said as she got out of Ou’s arms. “Who is this?” the teen asked as she held her hand out to the baby who grabbed ahold of the skilled finger and put it in her mouth.

“This is Thoru.” Kisa said as she kissed her daughter’s forehead

“Really how did Hiro like that name?” 

“Well he got to choose the name of our son so I got to choose our daughter’s name.” She said checking her watch “Oh I have to go, the nanny is due to leave and I still have to stop at the store.” She said as she waved goodbye.

“I must go as well. I am needed at the Dojo.” Hanna said as Kisa left. “I hope to hear you sing at the party tonight.” As Hanna left Uo put her arm around Kyoko’s neck and pulled her in the direction she was going.

“Alright Kiddo you are stuck with me I got to go pick up Sota and Neko.”  Arissa’s son was in the same class as Kyoko’s brother, she had often heard many tales of the trouble the two got into together.

“Why? Where is Kureno?”

“Cause Thoru asked me to and Kureno had to take care of a few things at work before the party tonight.  Besides Neko’s been running a little haywire lately and Sota is having trouble keeping up with him.”

“Why is it this time?” the last time someone used that word to describe her brother the Dojo required a new floor.  She never got the full details but from what she heard it involved water balloons and paint.

“I think it has to do with you being here. The little guy misses you.”  The former Yankee said as she snaked an arm around Kyoko’s shoulder and began walking in the direction of the school.  As they turned a corner they heard a shout.

“Kyoko!!!” the voice of Neko could be heard as they looked up they spotted him the highest branches of a tree that had his teacher at the base trying to coax him down.

“What has that little rug rat done now” Kyoko muttered under her breath as they entered the school yard, looking over towards the teacher who seemed like she was at her wits end Kyoko took a deep breath before shouting. “Katsuya Sohma you have three minutes to get out of that tree or I will march right home and hide every single one of your toys!”

“NO!” the little boy shouted as he quickly descends from the tree and lands right next to his sister and immediately begins to climb his way on to her shoulders.  As Kyoko struggled to get him off of her shoulders Arissa turns to talk to the teacher.

“What did he do now?”

“Mommy!” A little boy came running up and clutching Arissa’s leg interrupting the teacher “Neko didn’t do anything someone dared him to sit up in the tree for 5 minutes.”  She bent down and picked up her son placing him on her hip as he continued to recant the story.

“Dam it!” Kyoko swears as several little heads turn in surprise as she looks up Arissa raises her brow and the orange headed girl continues to cues in several languages.

“Just because it sounds funny that doesn’t mean I don’t recognize bad words when I hear them.” Neko taunts as he maintains his grip on her head as his big sister is continually trying to remove him from her shoulders. 

“Excuse me why did you call Neko , Katsuya?” a little girl asked as she tugged on Kyoko’s  pant leg, effectively ending the tug of war she was in with her brother.

“Because that is his name” Kyoko said as Neko waved to his classmates as they exited the gate with their parents. 

“ohhh So Neko is just a nickname” the girl laughed as she skipped away. 

“Aren’t you going to say good bye to her” Kyoko asked looking up at her brother as he looked down.

“Why would I do that?” He asked as all of a sudden he was pulled off of his sister’s shoulders and in to the crook of someone’s arm.

“Because it’s the polite thing to do.” Kyo said as Neko looked up and tried to wiggle out of the hold his father had on him but he knew well enough to know once there the young boy wasn’t getting out till his father put him down.

“Like you have room to talk” Arissa said as she moved towards the gate leaving the little family behind

“Shut you damn Yankee!” Kyo spat as the teacher shook her head and walked away “And you aren’t you supposed to be practicing with Momiji?” the anger he once had left his voice as he turned towards his daughter.

“Momiji was getting on my nerves so I went for a run what’s the big deal?”  The teen asked as she followed Arissa out of the school yard.

“The big deal is you left without any way to get in contact with you” the older man said as he placed his son on the ground and trailed after his daughter.

“Well excuse me for wanting to spend a little time on my own.”

“Hey I don’t appreciate that attitude coming from you, Momiji called me in a panic when after an hour he couldn’t find you.  I had to cancel my last two sessions to come looking for you.”  Kyo said anger creeping into his voice.

“Well I don’t see how that is my fault I told Momiji to leave alone, obviously he didn’t get the memo. Sorry you had to come looking for me, it wasn’t like I was in any danger. I have traveled around the world I can handle myself” she said shouting at him.

“Hey, I am still your father and you will not speak to me like that. No we are going home and when we get there you’re going to have a few chores to do.” He said as he grabbed her arm and marched back toward the estate, as Kyoko tried to get out of his iron like grip.

“Hey Carrot top looks like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” Arissa called as Neko turned as waved goodbye. 

“Damn Yankee.”  Kyo mumbled under his breath.

 

* * *

 

                “Sarah, it’s me meet me at the rising dragon tea shop in downtown at 4pm on Monday. I think it is time for you and me to talk about our two charges.” Momiji left the voice mail. After watching as Kyo practically dragged Kyoko back to the estate and forced her to begin cleaning the entire house that his family occupied, Momiji had to leave to collect his wife from the airport. He stood in front of customs and as he put his phone away he heard her voice.

“Momiji” she squealed as he picked his wife and swung her around.

“Gott, ich Sie verpasst.”(God, I Missed you.) The blonde said in to his wife’s auburn hair as he set her back down.

“So, how is Kyoko?” Hanna asked as they began walking towards baggage claim. Thankful neither Hanna nor Momiji garnered the attention that Kyoko did, so they could walk around relatively easier that the young starlet.  “I hear several rumors running around, one of witch said she stopped singing.”

“Hell, she stopped talking for a couple of days,” the man said as they waited by the carousel for the luggage to appear. “But now everything seems to be getting better.  Her father is helping her practice her karate and piano, and earlier she finally started her arpeggios and scales again.”

“Why do I get the feeling she only did to avoid talking?” Hanna raised an eyebrow at him and her green eye’s bore in to his blue. She knew her husband well enough to know Momiji was not going to sit by and let Kyoko stew on her feelings.

“Well” He said picking up her bags and made their way over to the door. “She finally told me more.”

“Hmm, what happened?”  She asked as they got in to the car that he was loading the luggage in to. As the driver drove away from the airport, Momiji curled up next to his wife and told her everything that he had learned. “Really? What did Sarah have to say?”

“I don’t know I am meeting up with her on Monday hopefully. Hey can you keep an eye on Kyoko for me, I was supposed to take her to the opera house then but meeting with Sarah is a little more important right now. “

“Yeah, so I am I going to have to pick her up from school?”

“Yeah and Neko will want to go with you. I am going you warn you he is a handful. He has a habit of using everyone and everything like his own personal jungle gym. ”

“No Problem, I worked my way through school as a nanny you know.” She said at that Momiji laughed and raised his’ wife’s chin and gently grazed his lips over hers, not breaking the contact till they reached the estate.


	6. He Said

Shoes scuffed on the glazed cement floor as a large crowd could be heard shouting through the concert stone walls. Voices mildly interrupted thoughts as the head set she was wearing had various voices calling for changes in lights and instructions to other performers.

“Hey Sarah” A voice said that called her attention

“What do you want Mickey” she said as she looked up on stage from the left wing and watched as Adam just went through the motions of the concert. _He is losing focus and it’s starting to show now._ Momiji’s message played in her mind, _what does he want to talk about isn’t it bad enough what that girl did to Adam and now he demands a meeting._

“Mitch was looking for you.” The voice broke through her thought “He is waiting in the green room”

“Alright” she said as she turned and ran down the hall toward the room. As she entered the concert was being casted on the TV set up in the room with cold sandwiches and various other side items out waiting to be consumed by any number of people working on this tour.  Mitch was staring at the TV while biting in to what had to be his fourth sandwich. _Such a glutton,_ “You were looking for me”

“Yeah” He said swallowing the bite and turning towards her. While Sarah wore yoga pants and black tee shirt he wore a designer suit, his steel eyes seemed to judgmentally scan her as they did every time she entered a room.  “I see that Japan is still on the tour”

“Yeah, after tonight I am flying ahead to make sure that the location for the first show is set up,” this wasn’t anything new this tour had been set for over a year, _what is this guy getting at?_

“No I told you to cancel it.” He said as he finished off the sandwich.

“Those shows are sold out. Besides Adam doesn’t want to”

“That boy is too heartbroken to make a rational decision, Cancel the shows! “  Mitch raged.

“Look I know I am just his handler but he wants to continue”

“I am his Manager and right now Adam doesn’t need to make these kinds of decision, I will reschedule the Japan section in seven months.”

“You can’t according to the contract that both you and he sign once the show was sold out it have to continue the only way it couldn’t is if Adam couldn’t physically sing. If you cancel those shows you will owe each venue several thousand dollars and you would get none of the ticket sale profits.” At this the man grumbled.

“Fine but you are to make sure he doesn’t go anywhere near the opera house or that little orange headed brat, or you’ll be looking for a new job.” He said threating.  As she turned to walk out of the room Sarah stepped outside and shouted at the stars. _Something is not quite right here I have known that man for three years and he is so greedy that he would drive seventy miles for a cent less in gas. He knows every contract by heart I never should have had to remind him about the cancelation clause. Maybe I will go see Momiji once I reach Japan._  Mitch may have been Adams manager but Sarah knew she had been hired to help keep Adam balanced between work and his personal life, and ever since Rome all Adam did was work.

As she walked back inside and reach the left wing again she heard the crowd’s loud cries as Adam finished his last song. Bidding his fans good bye and stepped off stage and ripped his ear piece out of his ear and flung it at the waiting roadie. “Adam what’s going on?” she said as she placed a hand on his shoulder, knowing he was about to crack she escorted him to his dressing room, the press could wait. As they entered Adam slummed on the large chair as she found a bucket to sit on. “Talk!”

“I have nothing else to say I already told you what happened!” 

“Alright” seeing the pained look on his face she didn’t push any farther “Look I am leaving for Japan tonight, Mitch is acting weird. He wanted to cancel the Japan leg of the tour.’

“No!” He shouted looking panicked the look on his face almost desperate.

“I stopped him” she said reassuringly as his face calmed a thought crossed Sarah’s mind “You are using the first stop to go find Kyoko aren’t you?”

“I just have to see her.” He said the vulnerability in his voice almost painful. Sarah breathed out heavily as she calmed her mind, _I don’t know if that is a good idea but I’ll talk to Momiji before I try and talk him out of finding her._

“Adam, I need the note, the one she left for you at the counter” Adam got up and opened up the first drawer on the dresser and pulled out the note. She took it and carefully placed it in the stack of folders in her hand. “I will give this back to you in a month when I see you. Take the next few weeks off. You have no more shows until Japan.”   

“Mitch won’t like that” the young man said as he curled up in the spot he was in, his heavy lidded eyes dropping.

“Hey I am telling you as your handler take the time off.” She said as she watched him fall asleep.  After turning off the lights she told security that they are under no circumstances to disturb Adam.  As she walked down the corridor, she stepped in to the limo she noticed the crowd of reporters surrounding Mitch, _well this won’t be good._

                                                                     

* * *

 

Mitch stepped away from the camera crew as he made his way back in to the building.  With Sarah gone he could use this chance to push Adam out of the fog he seemed to be in. T _his breakup is the best thing that has happed for him I just have to get him to see that._ Walking in to the green room everyone turned around and they all seemed to be asking the same question.  Where was Adam? Mitch pounded on the door of the dressing room. He heard a groan and after waiting for the occupant to emerge, when that didn't happen he continued his assault on the door in front of him.  After ten minutes the latch clicked and as the door opened,

"What do you want!" Adam yelled into his face. Mitch pushed his way in to the room and shut the door behind him.

 "Is that anyway to talk to your manager?"

"Sarah told me that you wanted to cancel the Japan leg of tour." The younger man growled as he collapsed on to the chair he had not left since he shut himself in.

 "I only thought that you would prefer to avoid seeing her."

"Lies I told you I didn't want that!" rage filled the young voice but seemed to go as quickly as it had come.

 "I just wanted to give you more time"

"Leave!"

"Wait Adam"

"Leave!" The younger stood up and shouted in the elders face. Mitch straightened his tie and exhaled

 "Listen I know you have been a little out of it lately so I think you just need to concentrate on your writing," Mitch walked over to the desk that had sheet music spread all around it as he picked up several sheets he noticed that any work writes on it had been marked out dark black lines were scribbled on as he looked down all of the music that lay on the desk had the same markings on all of them.

 "I can't" Adam said looking over at the mirror his face looked ashen and his already pale skin seemed to glow after having shut himself in to dark rooms for weeks. His hazel eyes were dull and looked so tired. Running his fingers through his brown hair he sat up and leaned his elbows on to his knees.

“You will you just have to get over that girl and the music will come again like it did before.” Mitch said as he walked back over to his charge,

“No, No it won’t” the defeat in the young man’s voice angered his manager

“Yes it will” _It has to I did not spend the last three years of my career to have all of this blow up now and all because of that stupid girl_.  Mitch thought as he tried to pull Adam up on to his feet.

“Just get out” you could hear the tears that threatened to spill over Mitch walked over and grabbed the cell phone off of the table looking through the call log he noticed on thing every single call out had been to Kyoko and the few calls that had been received had all been from other parties never lasting more than a few minutes.

“Fine but I am taking this with me, there is no need to torcher yourself.”  Mitch walked out the door and heard it click behind him. As he began to step away he felt his phone vibrate. Grabbing it he noticed a new email as he opened it, _Mitch you have gone too far. You will regret this._


	7. They Thought

The TV’s Volume was set to low as Momiji lay in bed next to his napping wife.  Though the Blonde would have preferred to be happy now that his wife was with him once again the news cast that played on the screen disturbed him to no end. 

                “In International news: Mitch Haigh, the manager of Adam Blake, had this to say about his star’s current relationship status.”  The Image changed as the reporter was replaced by the middle aged man. “Well, Adam is doing well. Now that everything has been brought to light and that girl is out of his life. When I asked Adam why they spit he said that she didn’t feel the way that he did. Honestly, I think she was just using him to accelerate her own career.” As the image changed back Momiji sat there in shock he rewound the report and watched it again just to be sure he had heard right. He gently got out of the bed and left the room. _So that is what that bastard is saying how dare he!_

                As he paced outside his phone rang, he debated answering it after seeing who was calling reluctantly he answered the phone. “Was möchten Sie tun?” (What do you want?) He said agitated.

                “Well I am guessing that you have seen the clip. How is my pupal doing?” the woman on the other side spoke, her voice stern and proper. Reminding him of the first time they had meet.

                _Kyoko fidgeted in her seat next to Momiji. “Koyko Sohma” a voice called and the preteen stood up and walked through the door sheet music in hand. After a few minutes his phone rang._

_“Ja?”_

_“How is she, did she do okay?”  Thoru’s concerned voice filled his ear as he heard Kyo in the back ground trying to calm their newest addition to the family._

_“She just stepped in to the audition. I’ll have her call you when it’s over.” He said with a laugh_

_“Okay, oh Kyo wants to talk to you” the woman said as a silent moment passed as she handed over the phone._

_“Are you sure about this?” Kyo asked as Momiji could hear the baby cooing in the background._

_‘Yes, she is so talented she needs to be surrounded by better teachers” after having attended singing lessons for several years, Kyoko had absorbed everything her teachers had to offer but it wasn’t enough. Competitions seemed to bore her as she won everything, at the last one a scout handed her one of the rarest prizes. The opportunity to audition to train under one of the best vocal coach and former opera star Giselle Dubois. After her parents had just had a baby Momiji offered to be the one to take her since the audition was in Paris._

_“I know I Know, But hey Thoru can you take Katsuya? She is just a twelve year old girl is it really smart to be putting all of this pressure on her.”_

_“She does it herself, look Kyo she already told you that she wants her life to revolve around music. This is just one opportunity.”_

_“Alright just have her call us when she is done.” As the call disconnected Momiji silently waited in the salon of the grand home. As the door open Kyoko calmly walked out fallowed by a butler._

_“The Madam would like to speak with you privately” Momiji stood as told Kyoko to call her parent, as Momiji entered the room he saw a piano witting across from a table with two chairs one of which was occupied._

_“please sit” the woman said there was a stern tone to her voice but even just speaking one could tell she had sung for most of her life. She moved a strand of blond hair out of her hazel eyes that were accented by crow’s feet. She looked to be in her early to mid-forties as she lifted the cup of tea up to her mouth to drink it, she monitored him as if he were prey. “You must be Momiji Sohma the violinist?”_

_“I am but we are here to talk about Kyoko are we not.”_

_“True, tell me what is your relationship to Miss Sohma?”  Momiji felt a steady unease around her it was almost like being in the presence of Akito before she changed._

_“She is my cousin” he said carefully._

_“Well were are her parents then?”  She put the cup down and placed her hands in to her lap. Staring him down, the man was afraid to blink._

_“Back in Japan they just had a baby but didn’t want Kyoko to miss this opportunity.”_

_“Well she is rather incredible, what is her lineage?’_

_“Her father would know about that, the only thing I do know is that she gets her Musical talent from his mother’s side of the family.“  From what little Kyo had told Momiji was that his mother had been a concert pianist, which was how she met his father._

                _“Excellent,” she said with a smile, which seemed hallow “well I look forward to meeting with them, I will be traveling to Japan in a few months and would love to meet them.”_

_“Why is that?”_

_“Kyoko is a rare talent and I would love to take her under my wing but I must speak with her parents.”  She stood and walked towards the door and Momiji followed as she greeted Kyoko rather friendlily which surprised him. He made a note to keep an eye on the woman as long as she was connected to Kyoko._

                “She is practicing, but I think keeping her from Adam was a mistake we should at least let her talk to him.” Momiji pulled out a pink covered cell phone and looked at the screen, at least sixty missed calls and several hundred text messages.  After the split Kyoko got a new cell phone and number at the urging of the Madam who said it would keep the boy from being able to torment her. No one not even Hanna knew that he had not gotten rid of her old one.

                “No that is out of the question, it is bad enough that he distracted her while they were together. Now that she is moving passed him there is no need to put her in anymore pain.” The woman said “I’ll be coming to work with her in two weeks. Au revoir.”  As the line disconnected, Momiji sat in the garden and his mind began to wander to the last time that woman was here.

                _“Is she here yet?” Kyoko kept fiddling with the bow on the dress she insisted on wearing._

_“Little Kyo you must stop you’ll fray the ends” Ayame said as he knelt down to help her adjust the bow._

_“My name is Kyoko! You stupid snake” Kyoko said as she crossed her arms and walked off to the piano room leaving Ayame staring off after her and Yuki snickering behind his big brother. Kyo came around the corner just as Beethoven’s fifth symphony began to ring in the house_

_“Okay you stupid snake what did you do to my daughter?” Kyo asked as he pulled the silver haired man up by the color of his jacket._

_“Well I was only using my little nickname for her” he said sheepishly_

_“You know damn well she hate that name!”  At this moment Thoru ran through the door fallowing a toddling baby that seemed to bypass walking and go straight in to running.  As she scooped up the toddler he began to wiggle and fuss demanding to be put down._

_“Okay Neko it’s time for your nap. Kyoko Please stop your brother has to sleep.”  Thoru called as she watched her husband toss Ayame out the door and slam it in his face._

_“Fine!”  at this Yuki chuckled again._

_“Ohh Yuki when did you get here?” Thoru asked as Kyo reached over grabbing the still struggling baby out of her hands and began to walk upstairs to the nursery._

_“Well Ayame wanted to help Kyoko get ready for this and Hatori was too busy to drive him over here.”_

_“Yes, I had to be sure that this little flower is properly dressed”  Ayame said as he reentered the house and walked over to Thoru “After all she has her mother’s beauty” he said as he grabbed Thoru’s chin and turned it towards his face just as the little girl was walking out of the piano room. Calmly she walked over to the pair and stopped as hard as she could on the man’s foot causing him to release Thoru’s chin._

_“Stay away from my Mom!” Kyoko shouted as Yuki continued to chuckle. Besides why would I miss the chance to see Kyoko knock my idiot brother down a few pegs, Yuki thought. “Come on we should go this is a big day for Kyoko and you  don’t want to mess it up” Yuki said as he began to drag Ayame to the waiting car “Be sure to tell us how it goes”  the former rat called after he threw his brother in to the car. As the first car pulled away a second could be seen entering the drive way._

_“She’s Here!” Kyoko shouted as her father came back downstairs still holding her brother, the family walked out on to the porch as Momiji  got out of the driver’s door and went over to the passenger side to help her out. As the woman stepped out of the car Kyoko stepped forward and curtsied. ” Bonjour Madam”_

_“Bonjour” the woman smiled as she was lead toward the house by the young girl.  “These must be your parents, I am Gisele Dubois”_

_“Kyo” the orange haired man spoke “And this is my wife Thoru and our son Katsuya” Kyo said as the baby began to make all kind of shrieks and cries._

_“Well someone does not seem happy to be here” the French woman said as she watched the child wiggle protesting being held._

_“Yes it is time for his nap excuse me.” Thoru said as she took her son and returned to the nursery_

_“Well Mister Sohma I have a few questions for you if you don’t mind” the woman asked as she was escorted in to the Music room where they had set up a table and chairs. Momiji fallowed and watched as they conversed lightly about his family. The half German didn’t understand this was not the same woman that he had met a few months ago. This woman seemed kind and caring, where was the fear he seemed to feel last time._

_“So my dear tell me how many languages do you speak?’ Kyoko had just brought in the tea as her mother joined the conversation._

_“Well Japanese fluently, German moderately, English Poorly and I am just beginning French” the girl said proudly. The madam looked very pleased by that_

                _“Good, good. Thought if I take you on it would do well for you to learn Spanish and Italian as well” As the conversation went on and by the end of it had been decided Kyoko would stay in school for the remainder of this year and then she would be home schooled till she was fifteen taking about three months a year to study under the Madam and once she was Fifteen she would audition for the world Opera troop._

                “Momiji?” Hanna’s voice came as she stood behind her husband in the garden “Was it the Madam?”

                “How did you know?” Momiji asked still staring off in to space.

                “The only time I ever see you tense is when you talk to that woman?” she said as she began to massage his shoulders.

                “Why am I the only one to see it?’ he asked as he leaned back and laid his head on to her abdomen, staring up intently in to her green eyes.

                “I don’t know honestly I don’t see it but that doesn’t mean I don’t believe you.”  She leaned down so that her chin was on his head and wrapped her arms around his waist. “All I do know is that this break up seems to be causing a lot more fuss then it should.” 

                “Let’s not talk about it right now, that is all we are going to be talking about at the party tonight and I for one would rather spend some alone time with my wife.” 

                “You’ll have to catch me first.”  She said playfully as she turned and ran in to the house with Momiji hot on her trail.

* * *

 

                Kyoko blinked at the screen, she had only wished so see a glimpse of Adam but after hearing what Mitch had said _. Is that what everyone thinks of me?_ She became lost in her own thoughts as Neko entered the room, after seeing his sister there he ran up and jumped up on her back.

                “Sissy!” the boy said excitedly but when Kyoko neither said a word nor tried to remove him from her back he got worried “Sissy?”

                Kyoko stood up and Neko slid off her back the boy watched as his sister stumbled her way to her bedroom. He walked up to the door and when he placed his ear on it he could hear her crying. He walked back in to the sitting room and that is where he saw it. It was a black box that had a lock on the latch, when they were unpacking Kyoko had thrown a fit when he had tried to open it before.  Maybe whatever is in this box will explain why sissy is so sad.  Grabbing the box he ran over to Momiji’s house. Sitting in the garden he began turning the dials trying everything he could think of. 

                “Her birthday, No.  My birthday, No.  The day mom and dad meet, No. What is it?” the boy said frustrated shaking the box.

                “Try 0516.” A voice came from behind him, Neko quickly tried the number a heard the click of the latch. “Hey thanks” he turned his head to see his father “oh no busted!” he sighed.

                “Neko what are you doing here?” Kyo asked as he sat down next to his son.

                “Sissy was watching some TV and then she got really sad and started crying. I wanted to know why so I though if I could get the box open and see what was inside of it I would know how to make her happy.” Kyo shook his head the news had been on at the dojo and when he saw the report he had come to check on Kyoko, so she is crying again.

                “Well then open it” he said to his son.

                “Alright” the box opened the box and it was just what Kyo feared it would be. “What? Who is this guy with sissy?”

                “It’s Adam.” Kyo said as he removed the pictures each one only slightly different, but proof that his daughter was grown up.  Kyo sighed sadly as he removed on that was a picture of them with Momiji and a woman in a white dress, so that must be Hanna.  Kyo kept looking through the photos as Neko began shifting though the box finding, several backstage passes, a jar with dried roses in it and at the bottom a note.

                “Kyoko.” He began to read though the note in English, Neko may not have the affinity for music that his sister did but he did excel at other languages.  In fact it was the only think that he seemed to focus on in school.  “Though I have enjoyed this time together, I must say that it is ending. I had hoped that this relationship would have benefited me; all it seems to have done is cause to much distraction from my own career. Despite your beauty and esteem you have been nothing more than an intriguing way to pass the time and it is time I focus on my own music rather than yours. All of the best Adam.”

                “Give me that” Momiji said suddenly as he had gotten up to get himself something to drink he had heard the Neko and Kyo talking and when he say the note he waited to hear what it had said.

                “I am going to kill that boy!” Kyo said as he shook with anger. Momiji read the note over and over again not believing what his eyes were telling him.

                “Dad is this why Kyoko is so sad?” Neko asked

                ‘Yeah!” Kyo could barely speak “Momiji I need you to take Neko home and check on Kyoko.” Kyo stood and began walking over to the Dojo.

                “I will.” Momiji said as he felt Hanna walk up beside him and grab the note from her husband’s hands. Then Kyo took off running.

                “What’s wrong with Dad?” Neko asked as he watched his father run off.

                “You know how Kyoko get so angry that she can’t speak?” the little boy nodded “Well she gets that from your father, right now Kyo is very angry and he needs to work off a lot of that anger.”

                “But why is he so angry?” Neko asked as Hanna began putting the photos back and closed the box putting the note into her back pocket. Momiji scooped up the boy as Hanna picked up the box and they began walking back towards Kyo’s house.

                “Well when both you and Kyoko were born your dad promised that no matter what he would do everything to protect you both from getting hurt, and right now your dad feels like he failed.”

                “ohh how do we make dad and sissy feel better?”  The boy asked as they stepped in to the house.

                “Well there is only one person I have ever seen, that has had the ability to calm down your father can you guess who that is?”

                “Mommy!”  The boy shouted as he ran towards the phone to call his mother, Momiji followed after pointing Hanna in the direction to go check on Kyoko.

* * *

 

Thoru walked through the empty rooms in the dojo. After Momiji had called she made her apologies to her boss and when home early that day. _Oh I hope none of my kids need to talk to me. But it had been such a slow day and I know that right now Kyo needs me_. She thought as a search of the remaining rooms turned up empty in the corner a pile of wood that looked like it had been smashed in half lay at the base of four cinder blocks. Shaking her head she heard someone moving on the roof and smiled. Finding the ladder she began climbing and as she reached the top she spoke. "You know it’s been awhile since I had to get you off the roof" he looked over at his wife and sighed

                "I guess Momiji called you."

 “Yes" she walked over and sat down next to her husband who laid his head in to his head and groaned. "Do you want to talk about it?"

 "No"

 "You know it's okay to be upset."

 "No that's not it"

“I know” lifting his head he looked over at his wife seeing the hurt and understanding on her face he groaned again. "Why? Why her? I mean if he was looking for someone to pass the time with then why choose her?"

 “I don't know, the one time we meet him he seemed to really care about her" and she began to laugh

 "What so funny?"  He regarded his wife with a confused expression.

“You know I think the last time I found you on a roof was when she introduced him to us."

_The car drove around the winding path as Neko shouted about everything he and his sister were going to do at the lake house.  "Were gonna swim, and walk through the woods looking for Jason!"_

_"Jason!?" Thoru and Kyo both said at the same time "who told you about Jason?" Thoru asked as she turned in the passenger seat of the car._

_"Uncle Yuki" Thoru laughed and Kyo cursed under his breath "dam rat" as they made one final turn the house came in to view as did the black sedan than sat in front of it_

_"Yeah Kyoko is here!" Neko shouted as the got closer to the house Kyoko stepped out. It had been almost six month since they had seen her and she could barely fit this three day vacation in to her busy schedule. As Kyo put the car in park and stepped out, he watched his daughter turn around and motion in to the house._

_"Oh Momiji must be with her" Thoru said as she unbuckled Neko from his buster seat. As they walked up to the porch Kyoko came back out pulling a strange man by the hand._

_"That's not Momiji" Kyo growled as he noticed the grip his daughter had on this strange guy tighten._

_"Mom dad this is Adam" she said smiling_

_"It’s nice to meet you" the younger man held out his hand and Kyo just stared at it and walked past him in to the house._

_"Kyo" Thoru said under her breath as she watched her husband slam the door to the house. As they stared off after the former cat Neko walked over to Adam and pulled on his pant leg as he climbed up on to the younger man shoulders "Neko don't do that to someone you just meet" Thoru said as she walked inside followed by the two teens._

_"We are going to sit out on the patio.” Kyoko called as she watched her father hang up his phone and try to make another call._

_"Damn, hey Neko go bug your sister." The little boy began to leave as his father called out after him "500 yen if you can chase away that idiot"_

_"Kyo!" Thoru shouted shocked as she watched her husband hang up again "who are you trying to talk to?"_

_"Momiji he said he would look out for her but obviously he didn't" he said as Neko came running back in and hiding behind Thoru’s legs_

_"Baby what's wrong?" She asked looking at the terrified boy_

_"Kyoko threatened me" he said as Kyo came around lifting him in the air and setting him back down._

_"Well that just means you’re doing it right. Get back out there" he said as Neko ran back out the door to the two teens standing over the railing Adam had his hand gripping the railing and Kyoko stood between. The girl turned her head as the other whispered something in her ear that had her laughing. The screen broke Kyo’s heart and as he say Neko jump on to Adams back again he turned around ran. After some time Thoru went looking for Kyo and found him sulking on the roof as she sat down beside him she spoke_

_“He is not a bad guy you know."_

_“He is going to hurt her."  He said not looking at his wife._

_"Kyo she is sixteen you do realize that at sixteen we were both living in the same house."_

_"That was totally different" he said angrily soon he heard laughter as he watched his children play with the young man as they tried to catch as many fireflies as possible._

_"Maybe at first" Thoru spoke neither one taking their eyes off of the screen before them "but you and I both know that the way our relationship progressed was not normal." Kyo laughed thinking about the all that time at Shigure’s house in high school. "And just like us their relationship is not normal. They are both teens that have flourishing careers they both are a lot more mature. He is really a nice guy." Kyo looked over at his wife and regarded her in disbelief. Thoru began laughing as she spoke. "I am not saying you need to usher him in to the family. But at least give him a chance. You know your opinion means the world to her." She said as she stood and began to leave._

_By the end of the weekend Kyo begrudgingly agreed they seemed good together. Though Thoru suspected that the impromptu run they both Kyo and Adam took helped and when they returned her husband looked pleased and Adam looked a little more than rattled, she knew that Kyo had made his stance known. As they leaved Kyo took Adams hand and shook it as he said "now remember what I told you while we were on that run of ours" and Adam paled._

"And I was right he did hurt her." Kyo said as Thoru sighed

 "You had no way of knowing that besides know you get to follow through with the threat you told him when you went on that run" Thoru said as Kyo stood up stopping him in his tracks. “Yeah Neko followed you and told me what you said." She said as the orange haired man winced. "Just remember one thing."

“Yeah what's that?” he asked as he watched his wife stand up and walk towards the ladder.

“That things are not always what they appear."

"And why is that?" He asked as he jumped down off the roof landing next to the ladder as Thoru reached the last rung. She turned towards her husband and grabbed his hand as the started walking back to the house.

 "Well what if they get back together" Kyo scoffed _that won't happen_ , He thought "after all we did." Kyo stopped and tried to process what his wife was saying to him but before he could ask she spoke again "now come on we don't want to be late for this party Akito will never let us hear the end of it."


	8. The Party

As Kyo and Thoru neared the banquet hall the party was in full swing. The couple opened to door as everyone began laughing as Hanna was telling a story. "So any way Momiji and I were at this little cafe in Germany." Approaching the group, most of whom were turned to facing the newest addition, they found Yuki in the back with Mine.

"Oh finally you've arrived" Mine called as she went to greet the pair hugging Thoru, which was a difficult task with her protruding stomach.

"Mine, how are you doing?" Thoru asked as the women pulled apart.

 "I am praying for an early delivery, I swear if my husband tries to fit me into another outfit for a client I may end up a single mother" the woman joked as both women went off to continue their conversation. Yuki chucked as he turned towards Hanna only half listening to the story.

"Have you seen Kyoko anywhere?" The former cat asked the former rat, as the orange hair man scanned the party looking for the tell-tale hair that matched his.

“She was in the middle of a heated discussion with Riku just a moment ago.” Pointing towards the door where Riku was standing looking incredibly board, as he moved through the group he said hello to everyone he meet. _Damn how many people did Akito invite?_

"Hey Kyo!" came a voice who’s owner dragged him back the way he had come.

"Kagura what do you want?" The orange hair man snapped as he saw who was dragging him away from his destination.

"But don't you want to talk to me it’s been a whole year!" The former boar whined as she kept a tight hold on to the hand she had captured. _Geez will she ever change_ , Kyo thought as he tried to pry his hand away from the normally unstable woman.

 "I need to find my daughter." He said harshly as Kagura scrunched her face up and was about to start yelling, she was stopped as someone jumped on to her back gripping their arms around her neck  unexpectedly causing her to let go of Kyo and fall to the ground.

"Aunt Kagura, Aunty Akito wasn't sure you were going to make it." Neko shouted excitedly as he continued to cling to the woman's back making it difficult to get up.

"Well I couldn't miss everyone" she said her rage dwindling as she looked around and noticed Kyo talking to Riku and the younger man pointing down the hallway and Kyo disappearing.

 "Neko must you always cause such a fuss?" Hiro asked as he held his daughter who continued to suck her fingers looking at the screen with large eyes. Reaching out with her free hand she tried to grab a hold of the little boy’s hair, but her father caught her fingers.

 "But I just wanted to say hi" the boy pouted as he let go of Kagura's shoulders long enough for her to stand up, with Thoru’s help.

“Kagura have you seen my husband?” She asked as she bent over grabbing her son by the underside of his armpits and standing him up as some called him away.  Kagura pointed off in the direction that Kyo had gone and found him sulking in the hallway. “What happened?”

“She won’t talk to me. All she is doing is staring off in to space.” He grumbled as they heard a loud banging in the banquet hall and someone shouting.

“Neko!”  Akito shouted angrily as both parents looked over at the door frame, as Kyo sighed.

“You get Kyoko, I’ll handle the wild child” He pushed himself off of the wall and as he neared the door frame shouted “What did you do this time?” as she could hear Shigure launch in to an exaggerated tale of Neko trying to climb up to the rafters and falling on to the cake.

Thoru chuckled as she found the adjacent door which lead outside, turning around she found a ladder and once she reached the top she found her daughter. Kyoko sat on the tiled roof with her knees pulled up to her chest, bare arms resting on top of her knees with her chin resting on the back of one of her hands. The slight chill in the night’s air signaled the end of summer was approaching soon, as the wind blew the young woman’s long orange hair around her face. Though her eyes never broke the contact she held with the stars in the sky, as a single tear began to fall out of her one red eye.  “You know it’s kind of cold out here.” Kyoko took a deep breath, before she spoke.

“All I can think about was that last night we were together in Paris.” Thoru sat down next to her daughter removing the sweater she was wearing over her dress and placed it on to her daughter’s shoulders. “There was this café on the roof top of the hotel he was staying at, and he reserved the patio just for us. They severed the most amazing meal I ever had, and we talked and talked. You could see the whole city from there and as the sun set and the lights of Paris began to glow he told me he loved me.” Her voice cracking as tears began to fill her eyes and her mother rubbing her back as she did when every Kyoko had been upset. “I just don’t understand what happened.”

Thoru looked over at her heartbroken daughter’s face and took a deep breath, “Sometimes we never know why things happen, all I know is that everything will work it’s self out in time.”

“But I am support to be Kyoko Sohma, the girl that is perfect and has everything together. Always happy.” Her voice cracking as she leaned her head on to her mother’s shoulder.

“It’s okay to be sad; we all know that you’ve had a hard time the last few weeks. Take as much time as you need.”  She laid her head on to her daughter’s as she began to cry, still rubbing small circles in to her back. After a few minutes Kyoko stopped sobbing and took several deep and shaky breaths before she began to sing. 

“ ** _Hold me close and hold me fast_**

**_The magic spell you cast_ **

**_This is la vie en Rose”_ **

As she began to sing, her voice carried down to the room as a hush fell over the group listen to the young woman’s voice.

“ ** _When you kiss me, Heaven sighs_**

**_And when I close my eyes_ **

**_I see la vie en Rose”_ **

Momiji moved to open the door and a few windows so that they could hear her better as she continued.

**_“When you press me to your heart_ **

**_I’m in a world apart_ **

**_A world were roses bloom_ **

**_And when you speak, angels, sing from above_ **

**_Everyday words seem to turn in to love songs”_ **

As she continued her voice began to crack, taking a long shaking breath and as she sung as new tears began to stream down her face. 

**_“Give you heart and soul to me_ **

**_And life will always be_ **

**_La vie en rose”_ **

The fresh wave of sobs could be heard as the group continued to stay silent; Momiji looked over the normally rambunctious group and found all of them with tears in their eyes, a few had tears streaking down their cheek. Looking next to him as his shoulder was grabbed he found his wife crying as he took her in to his arms, listening to the young starlet sob he gently began to stroke his wife’s hair. As he did he noticed that everyone else was wrapping themselves around their family members, no one saying another word as they the fresh memory of the saddest version of the love song they had ever heard broke their hearts.


	9. First Day of School

Kyoko turned over in her bed after she stopped crying long enough to climb down the ladder her mother had brought her back to her bedroom where she had been held up for a few days. "Kyoko you have to get up." Thoru spoke softly the young girl grunted in response. After a while Kyo came back and tried again

"Alright we gave you this weekend but its Monday and you have school in two hours you need to get up." He said firmly.

 "Go away" she grunted while keeping her head under the covers.

"You have ten minutes to get out of bed and start getting ready or I'll do something drastic."

"Yeah right" Kyoko shouted as her dad shut the door to her room. True to his word ten minutes later he returned and flung an over energetic Neko on to her bed. "Ugh" the teen grunted as the six year old fell on to her stomach.

 "Sissy wake up!!!!" The like boy shouted as he kept rolling her body off the bed till she fell on to the floor.

 "Ahhh" the scream could be hears down stairs where Thoru was making breakfast

"What was that?" She asked her husband as he reached in to the fridge grabbed the milk carton and took a swig

 "Neko waking up Kyoko." He said casually as he put the milk back as loud footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs, as Kyoko rounded the corner in to the kitchen she began shouting.

"You know there are better ways of waking people up that don't involve throwing a six year old on top of someone and having them rolled out of bed." As she continued to talk she took the half gone orange juice bottle and combined it with some cranberry juice and shook the combination vigorously. "God damn it, if I had two hours why are you waking me up now?" She asked as she carried the bottle out of the room

"Because Momiji warned us how long your primping takes!" Kyo shouted at his daughter as she marched her way back up the stairs. Once hearing the shower running Kyo sat down at the table waiting for breakfast to be served. As Thoru set the dishes on the table Neko ran down the stairs in his elementary school uniform.

"So what did we learn on Friday?" he asked as his son sat down.

 "Don't climb the trees" Neko said sounding disappointed. As a load bang followed by another and the sound of load music came through the floor.  “Sissy sounds mad.” The little boy said slightly afraid.

“No, she is just all bark and no bite.” Shigure said as he walked through the door “then again she is you daughter Kyo so maybe we need to make sure none of the furniture is close by.” He said with a laugh.

“Shigure what are you doing here?” Thoru asked as she brought the last of the plates out.

“Akito wanted me to check on Kyoko since no one has seen her since the party. “

“Well she is fine, she is getting ready for school. Do you want to join us?” Thoru asked as Kyo moaned in frustration.

“Oh yes of course, it has been some time since I have been able to enjoy your wonderful cooking.” The former dog said as he sat down at the table. As the meal continued on there was no sign of Kyoko ,”My she has been up there for a while.” Shigure commented as a car pulled up in front of the house.

“Riku!” Neko yelled as he bolted to the door towards his unsuspecting cousin.

“Neko!’ the young man shouted as he was talked back in to the car by the six year old. As he stood back up he placed the boy on the ground next to him and straighten his uniform.  “Where is Kyoko?  We need to get going, since we have to take a car.”

“I am Coming, I am coming” came her voice as the music shut off and she began to walk down the stairs.

“What are you wearing?” Kyo asked as he spied his daughter about to walk out the door,

“The uniform” she said, the skirt its self-had not been altered as it lay pleated at mid-thigh but the shirt was another thing the fabric had been laid over and sewn to a bustier, leaving both the central tassels and  details identically were they would have been but closer to the body. Her shoulders bare other than the fabric that laid on the upper part of her arm; she carried with her a lamb skin jacket on the tag it read Dior.

“No that’s not the uniform we gave you.”

“I had it fitted. Did you really think that I would walk out of the house in that as it was? I have an image to maintain and as such the agreement was that my image would not suffer for attending the school. Do you really think that the reporters are going to leave me alone because I am going to school?” She stated as she walked towards the town car and got in placing her Nine West glasses on to her face.

“You know she is right.” Momiji said as he walked up next to the car “The school agreed that they would not interfere with her image while she was at the school.” Ducking in to the car, Riku quickly joined

“I thought you weren’t coming till later?” He asked Momiji

“Well I figured it would be better if I was there to help the school with the paparazzi. After Friday they are going to be a little crazier than usual.” As the car pulled up towards the school, it was hard not to notice the crowd in front of the line of officers.

"What the hell?" Riku said as Momiji shook his head.

 "Okay so it’s time to be her" Kyoko said as she placed her sunglasses on her face as Momiji gestured for Riku to step out of the car as he did he was blinded by the flashes as he reached in to his bag to flash the officers his school Id. As he walked through the barricade he was greeted by several of his friends

"Riku is it true she's here?" One of them asked as he rubbed his eyes

"Yes Isao, just wait and see" As he spoke Momiji stepped out of the car also with shades on _why didn't they tell me about them?_ Riku thought as he waved for the officers to clear a path. As the first glimpse of her black heals could be see the group went wild. The soft click of her heals drowned out by the bombardment of questions; "what have you done recently?" "Miss Sohma do you have anything to say to Adam?" "What prices will you be preforming at the Tokyo opera house?" "Miss Sohma how is your voice?" Each slightly different but all basically asking the same thing, How are you, and can you speak?

Kyoko very faltering her gaze that was hidden behind her designer sunglasses began walking, _she looked almost annoyed,_ Riku thought as he watched her walk away from the line off officers with Momiji one step behind her and two guys in suit behind him. As they neared the building the vice principal meet them at the door. "Miss Sohma it is an Honor" the teacher said bowing, Kyoko true to her form slight dipped her head in response as she followed the adult in. _why did I ever think this semester was going to be easy?_

The class was abuzz with talk of Kyoko as a few of the girls came up to Riku's desk and asked "so Kyoko is she really your cousin" Riku plastered on his most charming smile which he had inherited from his father.

"Yes she is my cousin" the girls that had surrounded his desk turned bright red and ran off in to the other side of the room to talk with their friends, _just like the prince,_ the teacher Mrs. Hashimoto thought as she watched the screen unfold.

 "Please if everyone will take their seats" she stood up as the class began to sit. As they did she could see the vice principal open the door to the class and wait for everyone to take their seats. "Now I know there is a lot of excitement about our newest student. But remember she is here to learn just as you are so please give her time to become adjusted." As she neared the end of her speech the girl in question came around the corner. Standing in front of the class Kyoko didn't even bother to bow as she went to take her seat followed by two men in suits. "Principal what is this?" She asked as he men took their places on in the front of the class room by the door and the other near the back by the window.

"Miss they are my security team. Since the school doesn't have adequate security, my family has taken the liberty of providing me with some body guards to protect me."

"What you must be joking"

"I am afraid she is serious." The vice principal said as she calmed down the teacher.

"I assure you they will not disrupt the lessons they are just here to keep me safe.” _Not that you really need them_ Riku thought as he rolled his eyes at the scene. _Not even ten minutes and she is disrupting class._

"Alright that's enough" the vice principal interjected after another ten minutes of Mrs. Hashimoto and Kyoko going back and forth about the security in the room. "We promised her parents that we would look out for Miss Sohma's safety while she is here. So please begin your lesson." The vice principal stormed out as the teacher glared at Kyoko who returned the glare rather pointedly. As the lesson went on the class seemed to be more interested in the battle of wits that their teacher and the new student were having. Finally as the class was nearing its half way mark their teacher snapped.

"I know you haven't been in the country for much in the last few years but Miss Sohma we respect our teachers in this country."

"I know but I also know when I am being singled out."  Kyoko said calmly as if she knew this was going to happen

"To what are you inferring?" She asked annoyed.

"Simply that you made up your mind as to what kind of person I was before I stepped foot in this class."

"I would never" the teacher was highly offended as Kyoko rolled her duel colored eyes.

“oh but you did, but the sad thing is that it’s not me you have a problem with." The class held their breath as Riku rolled his eyes _well I knew this was coming_ he thought as he read ahead in the lesson plan rather board of this verbal volleyball that his cousin and teacher were playing.

 "And who you think I have a problem with?" The teacher asked crossing her arms in front of her chest

 "My mother."

 "Your mother?" The teacher shuddered as it could visibly see that she was shaken.

 "Yes, my mother Thoru Sohma or as you knew her Thoru Honda. You see we did some digging in to the past all of the staff here before my parents decided to send me to school here."

"Well why would you do that?"

"For my safety, you see a few years ago there was a situation involving me and someone from my father's past."

_Kyoko had returned home to teach at a summer work shop, she had once attended.The family was still siting around the table after having just shared their first meal together in several months. "Happy birthday" Thoru placed the cake in front of her daughter as she sighed._

_"Mom my birthday was a few months ago you didn't have to." she said shaking her head as she blew the candles out, before anyone could cut it four year old Neko stuck his hand into the side pulling out a chunk of cake and began licking his frosting covered hand._

_"Neko!?" Kyo shouted as he watched the toddler in his lap ignore his father and continue to eat his cake._

_"It's okay dad" Kyoko said as she was laughing and pretty soon the whole family was laughing as well. But soon Kyo stopped laughing all of a sudden as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and looked on guard._

_"Kyo?" Thoru asked concerned as she watched her husband stand handing over the toddler to his big sister and began to walk away_

_"Dad?" The orange haired teen looked around in concern as she watched her father become very rigid._

_"Get inside the house. Lock the door and don't unlock it except for me." He said sternly as he disappeared out of site. After an hour he returned but still looked bothered. "It's fine I just thought I saw someone”. Kyo said._

_The incident was all but forgotten until a few days later. Kyoko was walking towards the Opera House; lost in the music coming from her head phones she didn't notice the figure that had started to follow her. Later that night as she was returning home she felt someone following her. Turning around she found a man who looked slightly disheveled, “Can I help you?”  she asked._

_“Kyoko Sohma?” he asked his voice agitated_

_“Yes? Can I help you?” She asked as she began to back away and _attempted to pull her phone out to_ call for her dad to come get her._

_“It’s not fair” he said not looking at her, he seemed on edge as he reached in to his pocket and began to step forward_

_“Um I have somewhere I have to be” Kyoko said nervously as she backed herself in to a wall with him still advancing._

_“It’s not fair that she’s gone and you’re here!” he screamed as he pulled out a knife and moved to stab her. She lifted her arm to protect herself, and once the knife connected with the skin she acted on instinct. Within a moment she had pushed him away knocking him down and began to run as fast as she could. Breaking the heels she had been wearing she kicked them off as she saw the man following her, as he reached her again this time Kyoko struck before he was able and _sending him flying against the iron fence across from her then she turn and_ flew down the street the precinct that was down the block from where she was at._

_“Please you have to help me I’ve been attacked!” She yelled as several officers came to assist her. She was rushed to the emergency room as the knife that was still in her arm was embedded into her bone. As the Doctors swarmed around her Hatori appeared._

_“Hatori what are you doing here?” she asked as he picked up her chart and examined the x-ray_

_“I am here to make sure you get the best care your parents are talking to the police and Akito is contacting some personal security for you and your family for the time being.” He said as he looked at the wrapping on her arm and deciding that it was unfit removed it and began rewrapping._

_“Why what’s going on? “  She asked as an officer walked in to the room followed by her father who looked angrier than she had ever seen him._

_“Clear the room.” The officer said as all of the other doctors except the former dragon left. He continued to examine Kyoko as her father stepped forward._

_"Dad what's going on?" Kyoko asked as she stared at her father who was visibly shaking in rage as he concentrated on the bandage around her arm._

_"Will she be okay?" he grumbled ignoring her question._

_"She will, we have to be meticulous with cleaning it so it doesn't get infected but the most damage done was a small chip in her ulna thankfully the doctors here where able to remove all of it. She will have a scar but a plastic surgeon can make sure it’s as unnoticeable as possible." Hatori said as he walked out to discuss what kinds of medication they were going to give her to fight off infection._

_"Dad?!" She said a little louder as he turned "dad!" She shouted as Kyo began to walk out of the room. But when he opened the door Kazuma was waiting there, frustration on his face._

_"You have to tell her" he said calmly._

_"Grandpa?" Kyoko called to the older man who came over and gave her a hug as she trembled in his arms._

_"That's just it little one I am not your biological grandfather."  She just staring at her father as he gripped the door way knuckles white as he trembled with rage that he had forgotten he was capable of. "She has to hear this story from you Kyo."_ _The martial arts master turned and spoke to the back of the former cat._

_“I already knew that." The teen stated calmly as her father turned around pale a questioning look on his face “I am fifteen not stupid." She said bluntly "I did the math years ago I figured it out when I was ten."_

_"Then why didn't you say something little one?" he asked as he moved to sit down in the chair by the bed._

_"Cause if figured dad had his reasons, besides it’s not like I really care. You've always looked after all of us, and mom and dad were always happy whenever you were around. So I just went with the flow. I won't tell Neko he can figure it out for himself when he is older. But what I want to know is what does that have to do with this situation?" Sighing Kyo began to tell his daughter everything from his mother's suicide, his father's anger, the bet with Akito, and how Kazuma took him in. "Okay a little confusing but I think I understand but what does that have to do with this?" She asked lifting her bandaged arm in front of his face._

_"Kyoko the man who attacked you was my father." He said shame filling his voice._

_"What!?!"  She shouted. _Looking over at the man she considered her grandfather the elder simply nodded his head yes as Kyo took several deep breaths, trying to calm the rage that had built up once again.__

_"A few days ago I thought I saw him in our yard. I chased him off and alerted Akito that he was here. When I wasn't locked in to that room he went crazy. At our wedding he sent us letter that basically vowed to make sure we understood his pain. We hadn't seen him since graduation." Kyo took a long breath and stared at the floor._

_"How do you know it’s him?"_

_"On our way over here the police ran his prints, he is wanted in a couple of cities for embezzlement. I don't know how he found out about where you would be or what roots you take home but you’re not walking anymore and before you leave I am going to make sure you can defend yourself." He said as Hatori returned with her release papers._

_It’s been two years and there is still no trace of him, I'd like to see him attack me now._ The scar on her arm burned at the memory _Funny even with the best plastic surgeons there is still a scar._ She sighed as she continued speaking “So you see Mrs. Hashimoto, or should I call you Miss. Kinoshita? Hmmm it says here” as she pulls out a file and begins to read from it. “Minani Hashimoto formally Kinoshita. Vice president of the prince Yuki fan club, huhh.  According to my information you really hated my mother.”

“That has nothing to do with...” Minani began but was quickly interrupted.

“Your right this should have nothing to do with me. So why don’t you do us all a favor and give up. If you should be mad at anyone be mad at Riku after all he is Yuki’s son” Kyoko said calmly

“Don’t bring me into this!” Riku shouted as the bell rang for break the students burst out of their seats as their teacher collapsed in to her own. Kyoko approached the desk and quietly spoke.

“The next time you try to single me out I won’t be having this discussion with you.” She warned as her security followed her out of the room. Riku watched as all of the class swarmed her asking why their teacher had a problem with her mother and what did it have to do with Riku. She giggled as she put her forefinger up to her lips and said “It’s a secret.”

Riku laid his head on the desk as he groaned. _Why me?_

 

 

****


	10. What is He Thinking

Riku sat in his desk as the class swarmed around his cousin asking question after question. After hearing about this morning’s confrontation the vice principal had given their teacher a week of to 'think about her priorities'. As such they were given reading assignments for the rest of the day till another teacher could be procured.

"So Kyoko what's it like traveling all over the world?" Isao asked as he leaned against Riku's desk.

"Extraordinary. Every day there can be new places to see and new cultures to experience." She said as she flipped her hair behind her shoulder looking back at the boy who spoke, Riku watched as his friend slipped a little on his hold nocking his knee in the chair.

"Do you have a person to guide you?" A girl name Miko asked Kyoko turned in her seat to face her before answering the question.

"Sometimes usually I already know where I am going ahead of time so I have time to learn the national language. Honestly I rarely have time to sight see and when I do the last thing I want is to be surrounded by guides."

"So how many languages do you know?" one of the guys asked.

"Six fluently and I am conversational in two more" She said arrogantly, _well now let’s see if I can drop her down a peg._ Riku thought as he leaned back in his chair, occasionally a few members of the family would tease that the feud that existed between their fathers was passed down to both Kyoko and Riku.

"Wow that's amazing.” Someone said and at that Riku began to laugh.

 "Yeah but only if you don't take Neko in to account" he said watching his cousin flinch. True or not neither cousin could resist the chance to throw in a jab or two at the other; it’s always been like that neither wants to let the other get the last word in. Kyoko looked back at Riku giving him a hard look; _yes she is going to get me back for that._

"Who is Neko?" Miko asked as the orange haired girl turned in her seat,

 "My little brother" she mumbled.

"Why would that matter Riku?" Miko asked as she turned towards him.

"He speaks and reads eight languages and is conversational in three more."  He said amusement in his voice as he could almost see the hairs on Kyoko’s neck stand up straight.

 "Wow how old is he?" Miko asked turning back to Kyoko.

"He'll be seven in less than a month" as Kyoko answer her phone chirped "well as much as I would love to continue this conversation I have rehearsal.”  She got up grabbing her bag.

"You’re not staying for German class?" The teacher asked as he walked in to the room

"Ich habe Deutsch gesprochen , seit ich zwei Jahre alt war . (I have been speaking German since I was two)" She spoke as she walked out the door followed by her security team.

***********************

Momiji meet the limo at the gate the group of photographers had dropped leaving only two; _well it looks like everyone broke for lunch_.  "Hello" he said as he pulled his wife in to a kiss. "She is waiting in the second floor music room, get her to run through a piano piece then make sure she runs through her scales and arpeggios." He said as she stood in his arms, the click of the few cameras that were still present snapped away.

“What about working on the pieces she'll need for the opening?" Hanna asked ignoring the photographers. 

"The house hasn't decided on the exact prices they want." The former Rabbit stated annoyance playing in his voice.

"Why not?"

"They have two weeks before we just pick for them"

"So?"

"Have her run through the Carmen piece and I know they are defiantly choosing that one."

"Alright. How is she doing?"

 "Well" he said heavily looking around she saw a few paparazzi and realized what her husband meant, she is holding it together but just barely. "Alright I have to go, have fun!" He said as he jumped in the limo. Hanna laughed as she watched the car drive off. Entering the school she found one of Kyoko's security team.

 "Miss she is this way" he said plainly as he escorted her to the empty music room. Kyoko sat on the bench; with her head on the piano gently played random keys. "All right enough moping. I heard you have a few pieces that need practicing.” Hanna walked over placing her hand on Kyoko's shoulder.

 “Hey Hanna?" She looked up to red head her duel colored eyes pleading as she asked "does it get easier?" Hanna took a deep breath as she answered.

"Yeah, it does. What helps is concentrating on something else." The teen nodded as she spoke.

"Okay " Kyoko said as she shook her head clearing whatever thoughts she had been having  as she pulled out the music she had brought from home she asked " You said before that there is a language some of your family uses right?"

"Yeah Irish, Why do you ask?”

"Do you think you could teach it to me?" The teen asked as she began to play the piece.

"Yeah” she said placing an arm around her shoulder.

"ohh I should probably mention that you may have a second student. Once he hears that you’re teaching me a new language Neko will want to join in.”

"Is he any good?"

"He picks up languages like I pick up music." Hanna starts laughing as Kyoko began to sing.

**_“Caro mio ben,_ **

**_Credimi almen,_ **

**_Senza di te_ **

**_Languisce il cor,_ **

**_Caro mio ben,_ **

**_Senza di te_ **

**_Languisce il cor.”_ **

****************************

Sarah walked in to the tea shop right on time "I am meeting someone here" she said in choppy Japanese.

"Who?" The host asked.

“Momiji Sohma " the host motioned for her to follow her as she took her to the back room and opened the door. Sarah bowed saying thanks as she spotted Momiji sitting behind a table cup of tea in his hand. He seemed tense and a defiantly agitated

 "Nice place" she said as she took her seat opposite of the blonde

"Yes this tea house is prized for its discretion I figured with our topic of conversation it would be necessary." he said almost coldly in all the time she had known the man Sarah had never heard him respond in such away, even when he had been baited by the press.

"So we are getting right to it?" she said not bothering to remove her coat whatever he had to say he could do it quickly.

"I see no point in delaying anything. We both are busy people and so are our charges."

“Well out with." She said agitated herself.

 "What the hell is he thinking?" he said harshly.

 


	11. What Do You Mean?

The door to the music room opened as Kyoko was packing up her sheets. "Your Riku right? Yuki's son" Hanna asked as the teen nodded his head yes.

"I know you have plans to stop by the opera house today. So you'd better hurry the photographers are back."  The trio walked out of the door as two additional guards joined them at the door. Kyoko and Hanna placed their sunglasses over their eyes as Yuki was handed a pair by a member of the security team.

"Miss Sohma asked that we procure you a pair." He said calmly. As the group exited the door flashes began to go off as the same questions that had not been answered earlier were asked again.

"Please we have an exclusive interview scheduled in two days to answer all of your questions and nor we will not inform you who will be conducting it." She said as Kyoko heard running behind her as she heard a shout.

"Sissy!!" Neko said as he launched himself on to her back "wow all these people are here to see you?" He asked as he waved to the photographers whom were eating it up and snapping as many pictures of the siblings as possible.

"Neko what are you doing here?" Kyoko said as she realized there was no way to remove her brother from her back without looking like a fool, _and with the damn vultures here I can't do that._

"Mommy said I could go to the Opera house with you." He whined.

 "Why?" she asked slightly annoyed as Riku chuckled behind her.  

"I am doing a report on it" he said oblivious to the annoyance in her voice.

"Fine, but how did you get here?" she asked looking around for her parents or aunt Uo.

 "Oh I came with Hotta" the little boy said as he waved his hand at the last member of her security team who looked a little annoyed with the six year old. "Daddy and mommy had a meeting with Akito and couldn’t come." He said sounding disappointed.

 "Kyoko who is this?" One of the photographers asked as he continued to take pictures. Stepping away from her team she smiled and said.

"This is my little brother Katsuya, but everyone calls him Neko." She said smiling brightly as Neko wrapped his arms around his sister’s neck even tighter.

“How old is he?" Another asked as Neko moved from her back to sitting on her shoulders

"I am six but I'll be seven in a month" he said as he folded his arms on top of her head flashing a smile.

"Alright you little ham we have to go." She said laughing.

 "Okay bye" he wave to the photographers as she brought him down from her shoulders and placed him on the ground next to her. Grabbing Neko's hand she made a bee line for the waiting limo, with the rest of her group not far behind.

* * *

 

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked "What is Kyoko thinking?"

"Kyoko is busy mending a broken heart it’s bad enough that it happened but now she can't go anywhere without people asking what happened." Momiji shouted.

 "No Adam is the one heartbroken he can't write, he barley preforms and I know he has been calling her but she won't pick up." She shouted back at him.

 "Why should she all he is going to do is remind her how much pain she is in. You know it's lucky I took her phone when I did. It’s bad enough she kept that damn note." No longer shouting but anger filled his normally cheerful voice.

"Note you have to be kidding Adam is the one who can't let go of the note."  She sighed scrunching her face in confusion.

"Oh please I know you like to make jokes Sarah but right now is not the time for levity." Sarah reached in to her bag and pulled out the note slamming it on the table.

"Levity, ha. After what Kyoko did to Adam I am surprised I still find anything funny." Momiji grabbed the note from the brunette and read it. Smug satisfaction hung on her face till she noticed the half German's own face flicker with confusion and reached behind him pulling out a note of his own. After reading over both several times he began shaking.

"Someone is playing a very dangerous game." He growled.

"What do you mean?" she asked slightly afraid of the tone that Momiji was using.

 "Here this is the note that Kyoko got." He handed her the note, she took it suspiciously as she glanced down at this she furrowed her brow and asked .

"Why does this seem familiar?" she whispered under her breath.

 "Because it is nearly identical to the one Adam got" handing her back the note, she took it and comparing it side by side.

 "My God!" She shouted as the only thing different were the pronouns and the names. "So this means..." She looked up at Momiji who looked ready to kill "we have to do something call Kyoko and I'll call Adam we’ll explain and…" she grabbed her phone out of her pursue and began to unlock it but was quickly stopped as the blond grabbed her phone out of her hand.

"Don’t act rashly" he said surprisingly calm, though his eyes still burned with fire.

"Why? Adam is miserable and based on what little you told me it sounds like Kyoko is too, we can end that"

 "Yes but we need to be patient"

"Again why?"

 "Because we don't know who is behind this."

"What does that have anything to do with it?"

“They broke them up once and they could do it again. Based on the contents of these notes this isn't just a publicity stunt. Whoever this is really despised them being together."

 "So what do we do?"

"Compile a list, of everyone who could stand to benefit from this split."

"Don't forget to check with the crazy fans. I know once they started going steady several fan accused Adam of cheating and treated Kyoko." Momiji nodded his head.

"We will meet back in three weeks, oh and I know this goes without saying you can't say anything to anyone."

 "As do you"

 "No” he said firmly.

 "No what do you mean no?” she asked looking very confused.

 "I have to tell Akito, she has several private investigators on retainer at her disposal that we will need to end this."

"Akito?"

 "She is he head of the family believe me when she finds out who is responsible," the former rabbit pauses and visibly shuttered in fear at the thought of what Akito could do when she was angry. "Believe me it will be a worse fate that anyone could imagine."


	12. Old Friends

Neko bounced on the seat as he watched the city pass by. _I hope that sissy is feeling better_ , the little boy thought as they began the trip back to the family estate. All through the visit at the opera house she seemed fine but if anyone looked close enough you could tell that she was still sad.

 "Hey Kyoko are you still interested in learning Irish?" Hanna asked sitting across from the siblings. Riku had been taken home as soon as they reached the theater, saying he had some homework that needed doing.

“A new language!?! Can I learn it to please, S'il vous plaît ,bitte, Per favore, parakaló̱...."

"What is he doing?" Hanna asked as the little boy continued to rattle off words.

"He is asking please in every language he knows." Kyoko said as she watched him rattle off some more before he was stopped by the red head.

"Alright alright yes, Neko I will teach you Irish as well" she said as the car stopped.

"Yeah!!!" The little boy shouted as the door was opened and he ran out. "Hi" he said to the girl who was sitting on the porch of his parents’ house with his mother. "Who are you?" He asked as he climbed in to his mother's lap. Thoru chuckled as she leaned in and said.

"This is one of Kyoko’s friends from middle school" Her short brown hair was pulled back in to a small ponytail, her blue eyes looking over at the little boy in front of her as Kyoko stepped out of the car

"Satchi?"

"Well look who's back" the girl said as she raised her tea cup to her lips "forgive me for not fawning at your greatness but I do remember a little promise I made to you right before you left."

_Kyoko was running through the check list again as four large suit cases sat open in front of her "okay, shoes, clothes, pictures, music,..."_

_"Stuffed cat" a voice came from behind her as she turned and caught her favorite plush toy. Setting the little orange cat down next to the suit case she saw Satchi walk in to her room._

_"I can't believe you’re up and leaving me" Satchi said as she sat down on Kyoko's bed._

_"I have to go."  The orange haired girl said without looking up from her task._

_"I know but it won't be the same without you here."_

_"Hey miss smarty pants it’s not like we would be going to the same school anyway. You got that scholarship to that big fancy private school." The orange haired girl teased as she continued running through her list._

_"Yeah but I'd still be in town to hang." Silence filled the room as Kyoko contained to go over her checklist, after ten minutes Kyo passed by her room._

_"Kyoko enough with the list, I swear your worse than you mother." He said as he watched his wife go over her own checklist once again. “Thoru we have everything!” he said still standing in the doorway of his daughter’s room._

_"I just don't want to forget anything." The teen said at the same time as her mother as her friend laughed._

_"I have never known you to forget anything if anything you over pack, hey by the way have you heard about the new American Artist Adam Blake?" Kyo left as he watched his daughter begin close up the suitcases in front of her._

_"No I'll look him up on the plane, why?"_

_"He's a cutie and looks just like your type."  The brunette taunted as she rolled over so her head lay off the edge of the bed._

_"Please I am leaving to follow music not find a boyfriend they just get in the way." She said as she closed up the last case._

_"Kyoko it’s about time for us to leave." Thoru said as she walked in and began moving her daughter’s luggage down to the waiting car._

_"So this is it." Satchi said as they both stood, Kyoko grabbing her laptop case and purse along with her plush cat._

_"Yeah, hey I want you to have this" she said handing her friend the toy, as soon as they reached the front door._

_"Really? I remember a distinctly crabby two days at camp where you left him here and got almost no sleep." both laugh at the memory._

_“Yeah I am sure, hey can I ask you something?"_

_"Anything"_

_"Keep me grounded I know that if I make it as big as Madam thinks I will it will all go to my head. Can you make sure you knock me down a few peg when I deserve it?"_

_"Absolutely but you have to stay in touch with me. Promise"_

_"promise" both girls hugged as they heard the trunk close Kyoko broke free and got in to the car, as it drove away she turned looking out the back window as her best friend waved good bye_.

Kyoko laughed at the memory and leaning over gave Satchi a big hug. "So how have you been?"

"Busy this new school is insane I spend all of my time studying but I have a free day on Friday and I know you do too so I was thinking you owe me a shopping spree."

 "Come again?"

"Hey someone has conveniently forgotten to send gift on my last two birthdays and Christmases so I figure that entities me to a designer bag and coat." Kyoko looked over at her friend and rolled her eyes. "Come on I know you've been making bookoo yen with all the shows you’re doing."

 "Fine but only the bag and coat." She said exasperated.

"Okay so then we will spend the rest of the day pampering you while you tell me everything that happened between you and Adam."

"No I am done talking about it." Kyoko said dryly as she began cleaning up the tea set that was on the table.

 "Nope not good enough just once more for me and then that's it you can just leave me with the lies those tabloids print." Satchi looked over and pouted

 "grr. Fine!!" Kyoko said slamming her cup on the table "I have to go practice" she said getting up.

"That's fine I have three papers and a major test to study for any way I just wanted to stop bye and say hi." As both girls walked in opposite directions Neko noticed that Satchi had left an orange stuffed cat plush toy sitting in her seat. Going over and grabbing it he went to run after the girl to return it

"Hey go give that to your sister" Thoru said as she watched her son run into the house.

* * *

 

"Kyo where are you taking me?" Thoru asked as she clung to her husband’s arm. Upon returning home he had told her to get changed because they were going out. After making sure that Kyoko and Neko were settled in with Momiji and Hanna keeping an eye on them, he blindfolded his wife and brought her out to the car. They had been walking for around ten minutes and Thoru was getting flustered.

 "Hush we are almost there." He chuckled, as they walked through the trees he could see the house just up ahead. "Alright, one, two , three." he removed her blindfold and smiled as she heard her reaction.

"Ohh Kyo!" She sighed as she looked at Shigure's old house. The side doors that lead to the dining room were open and dinner was on the table surrounded by glowing candles and lit lanterns.

"What’s this all about?" She asked as he led her up to the table taking a seat by her.

 "It’s been twenty years." He said quietly as he removed the lid of the dinner that had been delivered and set up by Momiji whom upon hearing the idea continued to gush about how romantic it was, driving the former cat to rethink the whole idea.

"What? Has it really?"

 "Yes twenty years ago today, upstairs in the first room on the left, a very angry boy crashed through a ceiling and fell right in the best thing that would ever happen to him." The orange haired man chuckled as he pulled his wife in for a kiss.

"Ohh I forgot. I can't believe I forgot. I have to go and yet dinner a present to open at Kyo. No wait that's not right." She tried to move but her husband simply held on a little tighter so she couldn't move.

 "No you’re not going anywhere." He chuckled as she still looked panicked. “Everything is fine. I know we really don't celebrate this anniversary but I thought that with both of our children back under one roof, for however long, and with it being twenty years it was high time I did something special for you." As she calmed down she began serve dinner.

"I forgot to tell you Satchi came by today."  She placed his made up plate in front of him, and as she went to sit back down he pulled her closed to him so that her head was resting on his shoulder. 

"Yeah how is she?”

 "Good, the school she is at is very tough but she seems to be enjoying it. She and Kyoko are going shopping on Friday."

"Is that such a good idea?"

"Kyo she needs to get back to a little normalcy and I think that going shopping can just do the trick." He looked over at her and she sighed “Well if you’re still not sure you can go ahead and follow her like you did when she was in middle school." The orange haired man grumbled under his breath and took a deep breath before speaking; he tilted her head so that she was looking right at him as he spoke.

 "Alright right now I don't want to talk about shopping or Satchi or even our children. Right..." Kiss "now" kiss "its" kiss "just" kiss "you" kiss "and" kiss "me" this time when he kissed her he didn't let go right away as they spent the night reminiscing about their days past and hoping for the future.

* * *

 

Aknock on the door interrupted the silence of the room. "Enter" the woman called as she stared out the window not bothering to turn around.

"Akito, I need to speak with you."

"Yes I figured as much. After all you sent my favorite little cousin off, I had to explain to a very irate Kyo where his daughter was." Momiji chuckled as the former god turned around. No one knew why but ever since she had been born Kyoko was Akito's favorite cousin, in fact he remembered very well when everyone realized that.

_"Akito can I go play in your rose garden?" A four year old Kyoko asked, the light pink kimono she was wearing matched the former god’s._

_"Of course you can, but wait your obi is crooked." Akito bending down so that she rested her weight on the heels of her feet as she straighten the little girls wrap._

_"Alright go play" she whispered as the little girl ran off towards the private garden._

_"Well well. I would have thought you would be doting on Riku. So what has the little Kyo done to capture your heart?" Ayame teased as he sat across from Shigure who held their new daughter._

_"Ayame, shut up." The woman growled as she took her daughter from her father. After a few moments the door opened_

_"Momiji what brings you here?" Ayame says as he places his chin on his hands_

_"Kyo and Thoru are still going to be a little while longer at the cemetery. They asked I come get Kyoko." He said looking around the room for the little girl._

_"No need we can keep her till her parents, are done. Isn't that right pet?"  Akito says as she rocked her daughter._

_"Yes it’s alright she really is no trouble." Shigure said in a playful tone that his wife knew meant he was lying. She glared at him sending him to cower as Momiji continued._

_"Alright, well I will..." But he was interrupted by the scream that came from the garden. Akito shoved her child in to her father's arms as she stood and walked towards the window with everyone else on her tail. Once they got to the window they saw Kyoko struggling against one of the older maids as she bitterly chastised the girl._

_"You filthy child. How dare you play out here in the master’s privet garden." Akito saw red as she watched the little girl cry_

_"But but but Akito said I could" tears streaming down her face as her arm was merciless pulled. Despite the curse having been broken years ago many members of the staff hand still reacted to Kyo as if he were still curse, it was a sore subject but up until now no one had dare treat Kyoko with any hostility._

_"No child of the cat would ever be allowed." The maid said in disgust. At this point Akito had already stepped away from the window and was entering the garden._

_"Let her go." The maid looked up but not releasing her hold on the child. Kyoko struggled against the arm as more tears fell down her face._

_"Master this worthless child was...” But the maid never finished as Akito had walked over to her and slapped her across the face. At the shock the little girls arm was released and she ran to hide behind Akito holding on to the back of her kimono._

_"Get out!" The former god roared as the rest of the servants had gathered to see what the commotion was about._

_"But master"_

_"You and your family are banished from the estate." She said turning and picking up the freighted little girl, who winced as Akito touched her arm. "You have two hour to collect your belongings anything you don't take will be thrown out. Now leave!" She shouted as the orange haired girl cried in her arms. "It’s okay now let's go get that arm checked out by Uncle Hatori and if your good you can have two ice cream cones." Akito said speaking softly to the shaking girl in her arms._

 

"Well it involves Kyoko and I would rather not have her or her parents know about this for now." Momiji spoke as he shook his head, ignoring the memory. Upon hearing the plans for Friday, he had immediately gone over to Sachi’s house and given her the passes to the family’s spa. Kyoko had a bad habit of just walking in to Akito’s private studies unannounced, it _would have been bad had the girls walked in on the meeting._

 "You had better have a good reason for it."       

"I do, you see Adam...”

 "Don't you mention that name to me!" She shouted Momiji flinched this was what he was afraid of the woman was so overprotective of Kyoko that she won't even let him explain what was going on.

"Akito please listen,..."

 "No I swear if..."

"Akito! Some else broke them up!" The half German man shouted. The woman was paused as the air in the room grew tense just as it was about to burst the door was slammed open and Shigure began to talk.

 "My dear we need to go it’s time for Keno's doctor appointment..."

"Get out!" She shouted as rage ran over her face. Shigure stepped back as it had been twenty years since he had seen Akito this filled with rage "Out! Everyone Out!!" She pushed her husband out of the house and looked down the hallway filled with servants "everyone leave!" She shouted as the serves scrabbled to follow orders as the last one exited she leaned out. "No one is to enter this building until Momiji leaves!" She ordered as she slammed the door.

* * *

 

Outside Hatori walked up to Shigure and slapped him upside the head. "What was that for?" The former dog asked as he rubbed the sore spot on his head.

 "For whatever you did to your wife that caused her to kick everyone out" he said coolly as he walked back to his office.

"But but I didn't do anything." Shigure whined as his twelve year old daughter walked up behind him and screamed

 "What did you do to Mother!?"

"Ahh!" The former dog shouted as she stood over his crouching form.

* * *

 

Akito returned to the room she had left Momiji in. Shutting the door and taking a deep breath she turned as she began to say "Are you sure?"

"Yes," he pulled out both notes; he began to explain to Akito everything he had learned about the couples split. 

“Who would benefit from this?" Akito had begun pacing.

"Any number of people I would say that this was a publicity stunt but based on the contents of the notes that's not the case."

 "Why do you say that?"

 "They talk about distraction. Very few people knew this but Kyoko and Adam were working on a joint project. And from what little I heard it falls in between both of their fan bases."

"Why would that be a problem?"

"Sales, name, reputation take your pick."

"So who do you think is responsible?" the blonde pulled out folder.

 “Well this is the hate mail and crazy fans info I have for Kyoko." The woman took the book and began flipping through.

 "Anyone else?" He pulled out three sheets of paper.

"These are everyone I know who was opposed to their relationship in one way or another."

"Okay" Akito placed the list inside of the folder.

"I am meeting Sarah in three days to discuss this."

 "I will be there. You’re dismissed." Momiji bowed as he stood to leave. Akito watched from the window as her staff returned and chuckled as she watched her daughter drag her father in to the house by the ear. After a few moments the door opened and her husband was flown in to the room.

"Apologize!" She shouted.

“Yuri I am your father and as such that... Ahh" Shigure was pulled up by his ear before he could continue his lecture.

“No need dear I am sure he was punished enough isn’t that right pet.” She cooed as she pulled him along.


	13. Aria Troubles

"Cannon Ball!" Neko shouted as he and Kyo walked out to the baths jumping in and splashing his father.

"What the hell!" Kyoko shouted as she heard her brother across the wall.

"Hi sweetheart" turning to see her Mother entering the bath that Kyoko and Satchi were sharing.

 "Mom?!"

"Akito told your father where you were and well...” She began to chuckle after a moment both teens joined in. "So we are making a weekend out of it Satchi you are welcome to join us if you want."

"Okay, let me just call my parents." Getting out of the bath Thoru joined her daughter.

"I haven't been here in a long time." Thoru said quietly to herself.

"Yeah!" And splash could be heard from the other side of the wall.

"Katsuya Sohma! Sit down!" Kyo shouted.

 "Ohh my Kyo is everything okay?" Thoru called over the wall.

 "Yeah but I don't think that our son is old enough to enjoy the baths." Kyo groaned as both women could hear splashing.

 "Good news, my mom said I could stay." Satchi cheered as she returned to the bath. "So Thoru are you still working at that children's home."

 "Yes, I really enjoy the work." The elder woman responded

"So then I have a favor to ask of you."

"Oh what is it?"

"I need to shadow someone in a difficult job field and your occupation is on the list."

 "Well I don't know if I would call my job difficult...” Thoru continued talking as Kyoko stood up and walked out of the bath. Once in the Kimono that the house provided she entered the shared room at the same time her father did.

"What to run through some Shubert?"

* * *

 

"Morning Kyoko, where were you on Friday?" Miko asked as everyone was settling in to the class on Monday

"I was at my family’s onsen,” the confused stares caused her to laugh “I have been given Fridays off" Kyoko responded sitting down at her desk.

"What how can I get that deal?" One of the other students asked.

"It’s not really a deal in about a month and a half I have to begin rehearsals at the opera house and since they will take place every Friday it made no sense for me to come to school on Fridays anyway."

"Wish I could get an extra break day."  The same student responded

"I still have training to complete" she said shaking her head. Riku rolled his eyes as their replacement teacher called class in to session. As morning classes came to a close Momiji showed up at the door.

 "I thought you went coming till after lunch" Kyoko asked as he walked in to class and leaned against the desk in front of hers.

"I was until I got this in an email." Handing her a piece of paper

"It’s the list of songs they assigned you."

"Wait I thought that they were opening with an opera?" Riku asked as he stood up

"No they are doing more of a Cabernet type show since my contract with them is only two months... You have got to be kidding me!" She shouted drawing the attention of the rest of the class

"No they are not; I called to confirm” Momiji responded gearing up for her reaction.

"No no no no no way I can do that I haven't done anything like that" Panic creeping in to her voice.

"I was Madam who requested it” Momiji said trying to calm her down as Riku sat on top of his desk amused that something was freaking out his cousin.

 "Aww something the matter little Kyo" Riku teased as Kyoko crumpled up the paper in her hands

 "You want to go. Right here right now and I will drop you faster than I did when we were kids I swear to..." She said leaning towards her cousin.

 "Kyoko Sohma!" A voice shouted as she turned feeling a hand firmly grab her arm. Turing she glared in to the face of her father.

"Dad he started it!" She shouted

"I don't give a damn. Now I came here to help you with your set list."

"Aww I wish my dad would dye his hair the same color as mine." One of the girls cooed both turned toward the class watching the family interaction.

 "It's naturally this color!" Both shouted as Momiji chuckled.

"Okay every one stop the shouting. Everyone not related to the Sohma house leave" he asked kindly as the students begrudgingly left. "So Riku I know you both take jabs at each other so can I ask you refrain from it tomorrow. I don't want Kyoko agitated for her interview. Kyoko I know it’s a lot to ask but I know you can nail it."

 "Nail what?" Kyo asked

"Queen of the Night Aria" Kyoko said as Kyo looked at her surprised.

"Okay so it’s difficult but mandible"

"In four month?" She shouted as she stormed out of the room.

* * *

 

"Thought I'd find you here" Kyo said as he closed the door to the roof. Kyoko huffed as she stared out at the city.

"Hey let’s get out of here." He said standing behind her.

"I thought I had to stay here till the end of school.”

"Little one I am your father I can take you out of school." He laughed as she turned to look at him.

 "What’s the catch?"

 "We spend three hours on the aria"

 "God!"

 "What else did they give you?"

"L'amour est un oiseau rebelle, Memories reprises, and Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again."

"Two in English?" Nodding her head yes she

"Plus there are three group numbers that I am in."

"Well then let’s get to work."

 "Fine but you are buying lunch if you’re going to torment me later."

"Only if you beat me out of the school" Kyo joked as he began running down the stairs with his daughter following him.

* * *

 

"What time did you ask her to meet us?" Akito asked as she sat in the back room of the tea house.

 "She should be here any..." The door opened as Sarah stepped through

 "Sorry I am late I got in to it with Mitch" Akito raised an eyebrow at Momiji

"Adam's Manager" he spoke softly.

"You must be Akito. I am Sarah Beam." The woman extended her hand to the other as Akito took it tentatively.

 "How is Adam?" The half German asked as the former god grumbled under her breath.

"I don't know,"

"What do you mean?"

"Apparently he and Mitch got in to it and he disappeared. That's what Mitch and I were discussing." She said sarcastically removing her coat.

"Do you have your list?" Akito asked as she sipped her tea. Sarah pulled out a binder.

"This is everything I could get Mitch has the extensive list this is just the extra obsessed ones." Akito waved her hand at the man in the dark suit just outside the door.

"Give this to my investors to check out" the man bowed and left in a hurry.

"So what do you have on your end? I am anxious for all of this to end and for them to get back together."

"Back together?" Akito asked as she stared down the woman "That boy has hurt Kyoko enough, I don't plan on this bringing them back together."

"What if it what they both want?" Momiji asked he knew going in that Akito had never been fond of Adam but he figured that she would be okay as long as he made Kyoko happy.

“Well that is something I will discuss with Kyoko after this is all over." Standing and leaving Momiji looked over at the other woman apologetically.

"It will be okay right now Akito is being over protective of Kyoko, but I think I can get her used to the idea of them being back together."

"Momiji!" The former god called from the hall and the blond was quick to follow.

"All right Adam I know you don't want to talk to Mitch but will you talk to me?"  Sarah said to herself while pulling out her phone.

 


	14. So many questions, I Don't want to talk.

Adam sat in the recliner at the private beach. _Why must it cost so much to relax in silence,_ he thought as his phone pulled him form his own little world. Looking at the screen he debated whether or not to answer. After a few moments the call stopped and then the phone began to ring again. Sighing he answers the phone. "Sarah I thought you wanted me to relax?"

"So you are alive just checking" She chuckled.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked _, I really don't want to talk to anyone but if I know Sarah if I don't at least speak she would send out a private army to find me_.

"I heard you got into it with Mitch want to talk about it?"

 "Not really" the young man said as he recalled the events that happens two days ago.

_Adam had shut himself in whatever hotel room Mitch had booked him in Spain. The initial plan was for him to go ahead to Japan but after Rome he wants up to spending that much time there._

_"Alright Adam get up!" The older man shouted as he opened the closed drapes the sky line of Madrid lay before the young star who him his head back under the covers of his bed._

_"Damn it Mitch I told you to leave me alone."  He grumbled from under the covers._

_"Can't do that you have a full day writing and practice till six and then I have set you up with a date."  Mitch said as he tried and failed to pull the sheet away from the head of his charge._

_"You did what?"  Adam sat up and shouted not caring if he woke any of his neighbors._

_"No need to thank me." His manager said smugly as Adam gripped the sheets in anger._

_"I wasn't going to thank you really think I am going to get over Kyoko just like that?"_

_"Please that little brat was nothing but a fame whore who happens to get her claws in to you." Adam saw red._

_"Just because we broke up does not give you the right to say that about her!”  He jumped out of bed screaming in to the elder man’s face._

_"Why it’s the truth. The little bitch would have been happy with anyone" despite everything Adam reared back and punched the older man in the jaw. The man fell backwards getting caught in the drapes._

_"I don't ever want to see or hear you talk about Kyoko like that ever again. And if you ever say anything about our relationship or lack thereof without my express permission ever again I will fire you." He shouted grabbing his shirt and putting it on. Walk out the bed room door he grabbed his still packed suitcase and guitar leaving the hotel and towards his private jet._

"So where are you?" Sarah asked pulling the young man form his memory.

 "I don't want anyone finding out."

"Adam I promise I won't"

 "Sarah" he said warningly.

 "Have I ever broken a promise?" Adam took two very restrained breaths as he considered everything he knew about Sarah, _she really is the only one I can trust right now._

"I am in Greece"

"Greece?"

 "Yeah I have a friend who has a private island and he is letting me crash here I just have to pay the staff."

"Well good, have you been writing?"

"Yeah but Mitch wouldn't like it it's not pop enough. As he would say."  Agitation rang in his voice, the last few years Mitch had been heavily editing Adams songs it was as if anything he wrote was never good enough.  For the most part Adam took the suggestions, but recent events had caused him to hate his manager for it.

"Adam just right let the music speak that is what made you famous and if this new stuff leaves you unpopular then who cares." Adam sighed putting his hand to his head and sighing. "Well I won't disrupt your relaxation any longer"

 "Hey Sarah when the press asks you about me and Kyoko?"

"I tell them that it's between to two of you and that they need to find something else to amuse them."

"Thanks bye" hanging up the phone Adam walked over to open living room where is guitar sat looking down at the sheets in front of him he files through them till he found one that he hadn't seen in over a month. The top had several totals searched out of it but at the top it read you and I, but not in his own handwriting.

* * *

 

"Mom, why do I have to wear this?" Neko asked as he fiddling with the tie around his neck.

"Because the reporter wants to meet us." Thoru said as she loosened the tie around her son’s neck and then removing it. She leaned over and straightened the collar of the shirt he was wearing; _I wonder how long it will take you before this shirt is ruined as well._ She mused as her son fidgeted.

"Why I thought she just wanted to bug Sissy about that guy." He said running his hand through his once combed hair causing it to spike in random directions again, his mother laughed as she shook her head.

"Neko" Kyo said in the warning time he used whenever his son was stepping over the line.

 "Okay is everyone dressed?" Kyoko asked as she walked in to the living room. "Where is Momiji?"

"I am here" he said as he and Hanna walked in to the house.

"Are you still sure this is a good idea?" Kyo asked as he watched the reporter being lead through the estate by Akito.

 "Yes this should keep everyone off of her back." _At least I hope it will_ , the former Rabbit thought as the interviewer walked in to the house, _maybe I should have set up this with a Japanese reporter and not an American one_. He mused but it was too late to turn back now.

"I everyone my name is Mia Turner. So before we begin I would like to double check everyone's name" as the assistant stepping forward and taking down everyone's name. Momiji walked over to the girl and quietly double checking the spelling and pronunciations. "Alright now before we talk how about a nice family photo. Okay our young star needs to be in the middle, dad on her left mom on the right and little brother hmm well let’s put you between Kyoko and your dad."

 "But you’re not my sister" Neko looked confused as the reporter addressed him.

 "Come here you little trouble maker." Kyoko said as she grabbed him pulling him in to her lap and began tickling him. The camera man took several photos of the pair as they wiggled around.

"It would be wiser to have him on her lap. Neko tends to be ... Let's say hyperactive. She can keep him calm." Momiji whispered to the photographer nodding his head the family got together and took several pictures. As the photographer stepped in to the background Kyoko and the reporter sat down and began.

"So Miss Sohma everyone is dying to know more about you so let’s begin. How old are you?"  She said as she placed a recorder in front of her and began scribbling in a note book.

"Seventeen"

 "My so young. When is your birthday?"

"January 1st in fact my first cry was at the same time the New Year’s bells chimed." As the questions continued they were all of the same sorts. Momiji and Kyoko had been prepared for it, with Kyoko’s rise to fame being so recent and her schedule being what it was this was the first time any reporter had ever been able to pin her down long enough to ask more than two questions. 

“So now that I know you a little better, tell me where does your talent come from?”

“My father.”  The reporter looked confused as she read over her notes again.

“Wait your father is a Master Martial Artist not a musician.”

“No he is both; you see he learned about the piano from his mother and he taught me.”

“I will understand if you don’t want to tell me the truth” she said with a laugh as soft piano music came from the opposite room. Turning she saw Kyo sitting at the piano playing the soft melody.

“But how?”

“His mother was Sayuri Yukiura, the concert pianist” Kyoko said looking over to the opposite wall. There hung the picture of Kyo and his mother at the piano and just under it was one of Kyo and Kyoko. “My father once told me that there have been pianist and great musicians in his mother’s family for many generations. I guess we are just two more.” Kyo finished playing and sat next to his wife as the reports scribbled vigorously.  Looking over her shoulder Kyo caught a glance at the phrase, Music running deep in the family’s blood line. He groaned inwardly as she stopped writing.

“So down to the real questions. What happened between you and Adam and why did you split up?” Kyoko took a deep breath as she felt herself fraying.

“Well we meet at a charity event.”

_Kyoko walked through the banquet hall following Madam. She and her pupal had been invited to the grand ball which sponsored art programs all over the world. “Kyoko are you ready for tonight.”_

_“Yes Madam, I am” It had been three months since she had left home and though she was following her passion she often felt lonely. Picking up the hem of her Midnight satin dress, she stopped and examined the room. Man these parties are boring, we’ve been to two already I wish there were more people my age at these things. She thought as several waiters walked by, going to grab a glass of champagne madam quickly removed the glass from her pupil’s hands taking a sip. The orange haired girl blushed as her teacher stared at her._

_“Good, now I will go on an introduce you.” Kyoko bowed as she was left alone.  She quickly tried to follow the waiter that had the champagne but was quickly denied a drink. Frustrated she deiced to find their assigned table as she neared where their seats were she was pushed in to someone accidentally._

_“Ohh I am so sorry” she said to the stranger who had spilled his drink._

_“I am sorry I don’t understand” looking up she saw who she had bummed in to; the young man looked only a few years older than her and was wearing a suit but looking carefully she noticed that everything seemed to have some kind of edge to it. From the piercing in his left ear, to the leather vest he was wearing under his jacket, she knew she had never met the handsome stranger but he did seem familiar._

_“My apologies, I had forgotten I am not in Japan anymore” she said in English._

_“That’s alright.” The stranger looked at her with interest “I am Adam Blake” he said holding out his hand._

_“Kyoko Sohma” amused she took it and shook it, well this is interesting she thought._

_“I have never heard of you what do you study?”_

_“Opera and Piano” she said proudly, he looked at her with amused shock and wishled.  She giggled at his response._

_“Wish I was more like you I just make music people dance too.”_

_“What is wrong with that?’_

_“Well it’s hard to call that art yours has existed for hundreds of years, mine changes every few months if I am lucky.”_

_“Well if you are making music that makes you happy then why do you care about what people think?” she asked he looked at her in confusion “Sorry I have to go, but maybe I’ll see you around some time.”_

“The next day I found a bouquet of Roses with an invitation to walk around the Luxembourg Gardens, after that we were nearly inseparable.” She smiled fondly.

“So they what happened?” the teen’s smile faded as the question was asked she looked out the widow and watched as the leaves blew through the trees.

“I don’t really know” she said.

 


	15. The Madam Cometh

The two teens laughed as they walked out of the boutique. "So tell me how was he in bed?" Satchi asked as they walked down to the next location. Heavy bags hung off of their arms.

 "We never slept together." Kyoko said slight hint of pink reaching across her nose.

"Aw such a good girl." The other cooed as they reached their destination.

"Okay so we just need to get your birthday present and then we are heading back to the estate right?" The orange head asked as her friend admired the crystal jewelry that hung on display.

"Yes yes, I am just glad your dad let you go on this trip"

"He knew that after this week I really need to buckle down and practice so this is my last day of freedom." Kyoko said as she held on to the beaded necklace.

"I love this but have absolutely nothing the wear with it." She said placing the necklace against her throat, and examining herself in the mirror.

"Get that cousin of yours to make you something." the other said as she stared at the display.

"No he's busy right now."

 "Why does he have a show to do?"

"No the opera house is having him design all on my costumes."

"That’s cool" Satchi remarked as she inspected the bags sitting on display. "What do you think?" She said holding up a hot pink one.

"Cute but from my experience it would be better to get one in a neutral color. I know its designer and that's okay but that shade of pink won't be in style for long and I know your style can withhold it for any longer than that" Satchi nodded her head as she moved towards the black bags.

"Okay I love this one" she said grabbing the same one she had earlier but in black.

 "Very well" the orange haired girl said as she placed the crystal beaded necklace on the counter next to the bag.

 "I thought you had nothing to wear with that."

"It gives me another reason to go shopping.” she said as the cashier wrapped and packaged the bag and Necklace. As they walked towards the car the driver took their shopping bags and placed them in the trunk.

 “So I am just going to ask. Are you okay?" The orange haired girl looked over at her friend.

"No" she said shaking her head. "But I am getting there" turning her head she watched as the city began to pass by them at increasing speed as the two teens sat in silence the rest of the way home.

Stepping out of the car the girls went around the back to grab their bags. "Well at least we spent your cultural event day well." Kyoko joked, both teens laughing as they went to enter the main estate to see Akito, but as they walked in to the first hall Kyoko stopped laughing.

"Madam!?" She gasped.

"I was rather disappointed to hear you had left to go shopping." The Madam spoke in French.

"It was just a bit of fun" Kyoko replied in kind.

"No matter you have pieces to master and one cannot master them while frivolously spending your hard earned money."

"But Madam."

"I will hear no more of this. You will go to the music room and practice. You've had enough distractions recently." She said sternly.

"But Madam"

"Enough! Music requires sacrifices. But maybe you are not dedicated enough."

 "No wait I am!" She said in a panic as her teacher turned to leave.

"Good then I will expect you to practice for six hours tonight to make up for the three you spent shopping." Kyoko bowed her head beginning to follow.

" Kyoko!?" Satchi grabbed her friend’s arm, _in all time I have known her she has never backed down to anyone_. The other turned,

"Satchi I have to go. I'll call you later." Pulling her arm out of her friends hold she followed her teacher stepping in to the room. The older woman looked down the hall at the brunette and the girl had never felt so uneasy being in this house. Turning and following her pupil Madam slabbed the door.

* * *

 

"So where is Kyoko? I never got to talk to her at the party." Yuki asked as he sat in the living room Thoru in her kitchen preparing tea.

"Oh the Madam came she is probably training right now." She said as she sat the tray down. A knock on the door pulled Thoru out of the living room.

"Oh Satchi. What's wrong?!" The teen stepped in.

"Mrs. Sohma is there any way we could talk?" she said looking around like she shouldn’t be there.

 "Of course come in. oh Momiji?" The former rabbit came up behind Satchi.

 "Hi, Thoru. Satchi where is Kyoko?"  He said placing a hand on  the teen and she turned to look at him.

"She is with the Madam." It was hard not to see the confused face of the teen. "Actually I came to talk to Thoru and Kyo, but I think you should hear this too." She said to Momiji. As they all turned in to the living room and noticing Yuki, the teen spoke "I am sorry I didn't realize you had company."

"No it’s alright I was just waiting for my son to finish training with Kyo." Yuki said as he stood to leave. "But I'll leave it looks like you need to talk to Thoru."

"No Yuki it’s alright." Thoru spoke and Yuki returned to his seat as, she poured the tea. The three adults and one teenager sat around the table.

"I really don't know where to begin." Satchi then began to tell them about their entire day and explicitly the confrontation with Madam. "I don't think she knew I spoke French I may not be fluent but I know when someone is being condescending. What I could make out wasn't good. It was like she was making Kyoko feel horrible for wanting to do something other than music for a few hours."

 "But that's not all is it?" Momiji asked Thoru and Yuki both looked over to the have German; they never expected to hear that tone coming from the usually cheerful man.

"Well there was something else. The entire time they were speaking I was pretty much ignored but once Kyoko had gone in to the music room the Madam gave me a cold look. It was almost like dealing with a starved tiger you don't know when but all you do know is that it's only a matter of time before it strikes."

 "Satchi I'll look in to this do you need I ride home?" Momiji asked.

"No I'll walk" as the teen left Momiji slammed his fist on the table.

"Damn it" he roared whipping his free hand over his face. As he did Kyo and Riku walked in to the house.

"Hey rat boy what's with the language?"

"Like you have room to talk" Riku said under his breath.

"That wasn't me it was Momiji" Yuki said as Momiji began pacing.

"Sit down please tell us what is going on." The woman pleaded to the Blond as he continued to pace.

"Fill your husband in first I need to go to talk to Akito real quick." Kyo blocked the door way.

"No one is leaving until I know what is going on." The former cat shouted.

"Tell them" Akito spoke "they need to know."

* * *

 

"Riku wait up." Kyoko followed after her cousin "hey why are you avoiding me?" Riku look over at his cousin torn. After everything he had learned on Friday, he took the weekend to try a process it all.

"It's nothing I just have a lot on my mind." Three days wasn't enough, _damn it Akito why did you have to swear me to secrecy_. He smiled as they walked towards the entrance. The reporters that followed her around had greatly diminished since the interview, thankfully.

"Hey Kyoko I see you don't have to be in school on Wednesday why is that little princess afraid to break a nail." The upperclassman yelled as he leaned against a post.

"Jiro believe me don't mess with her." Riku warned to the upperclassmen. _I’ve seen her take down people twice her size, she won’t think twice about doing the same to you._

 "Aww it’s okay Riku, I just don't think it's fair that she already only spends half her time here. Then she gets excused from the judo training." He said standing up and walking towards the two cousins.

 "There are circumstances you don't understand now I'd advise you leave me alone." She said in a huff walking towards the waiting car.

"No I think you need to learn your place." He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close.

"I am warning you let me go now or you will regret it." She said staying calm but dropping her bag near Riku who picked it up and slowly backed away knowing what was coming, after years of fighting with his cousin he knew the signs of her preparing to teach someone a lesson about messing with her. 

"You don't have your security team right now what can you do?" he talked in to her ear sending an annoyed shutter down her spine.

"Plenty!" She shouted bringing her arm back she jabbed her elbow in to his gut, he released his hold on her and took several steps back, turning and taking a fighting stance she waited as he advanced on her bringing her knee into his gut she grabbed his arm twisting it and throwing him over her shoulder. He landed on the cement hard exhaling a groan. Placing her healed foot on to his chest careful to keep the spike away from his body she crossed her arms. "Obviously you don't know who my father is; if you did you wouldn't have attacked me." The boy groaned under her foot. As she pushed a little harder so that he could not escape. "I am glad you asked my father is Kyo Sohma. He is one of the top Martial artists in the country titled internationally, oh and he is running the lesson on Wednesday. Did you really think he would pass on his knowledge to his daughter that travels around the world?"

"Kyoko Sohma!!" a very loud voice broke through the rant she was on.  Several heads whipped around and cleared a path so that the new arrival could walk up to the pair in the center.

"Oh Hi daddy" the girl greeted as her father came up behind her.

 "What have I told you about starting fights?" He shouted as she removed her foot from the boy's chest and turned to face her father.

"I didn't I was just defending myself" as the teen spoke the group of students that had gathered to watch the confrontation all confirmed. Kyo wiped a hand over his face groaning in frustration.

"What?" Kyoko asked as she watched her father.

 "Just get in the car." He grumbled, she walked towards the car and Kyo walked over to Riku.

"He really did start the fight.” the teen responded handing the bag over to the older man.

"That's not why I came. How are you doing with all of this?" He asked as they watched Jiro get up with help from his friends. Kyo giving him a hard look and laughing as the teen paled and limped away as fast as possible.

 "I don't even know how to act around her."

"Just be yourself." Kyo said with a laugh.

"Isn't that's Aunt Thoru's line?"

"Yeah but it works please just go back to fighting with her. The reason I showed up was because she texted me saying something was wrong with you. She set you up for at least five"

"Ten" he corrected thinking about class after a while it’s like she was begging him to say anything back to her, hell she even  poked fun at the disorganized chaos that his mother had done to his bag. _I almost lost it on that jab._  

"Okay ten jabs and you never took the bait."

"I just don't want to say anything, hell I don't understand why no one is telling her about this."

"Akito and Momiji think it's for the best." He said as he watched Kyoko climb in to the front of the car and start honking the horn, much to the driver’s dismay. "I think that is my cue to leave."

"Hey Kyo, how do you feel about this?"

"If I get to the person responsible before Akito I doubt there will be anything left for her to torment."

 

 


	16. Something's Not Right

Adam strummed a few cords on his guitar as he watched the sunset. His phone rang again looking over at the display he ignored the call and let it go to voice mail. _I am not talking to him unless I have to._ He thought as the sun finished its descent in the sky. He picked up his phone and dialed a number he knew by heart. "Hello" the comforting elderly voice came from the other line and he smiled for the first time in a long time.

 "Hi gran." He said fondly as the woman gasped, he chuckled as he listened to the woman on the other line responded.

 "Well if it isn't my little musician. How are you doing?"

 "A little confused" He said quietly as he got out of his beach chair and walked towards the house.

"What about?"

"Kyoko."  Looking over the music that still lay scattered over the coffee table in the living room.

"Well what are you confused about?"       

"Mostly how it ended."

 "Well dear I only meet her that one time…” the old woman’s comment bringing back the memory.

_The car speed down the dusty road, easily hitting fifty miles an hour but Adam knew this road well. "Do you have to drive so fast?" Kyoko asked sitting in the seat next to her boyfriend. Both had a week off and Kyoko was on lay over in Columbus, Ohio. Adam had insisted that she stay with him at his childhood home rather than in whatever hotel she had been booked in._

_"Hey I grew up here the state troopers don't patrol this road besides we turned on to the farm about two minutes ago." She looked around and saw the old house up ahead. Shifting gears in the old truck the teen began to slow down. Four large oak trees sat in front where the farmland stopped and the front lawn began. A large swing sat between two and an old tire hung from the branch of another. The brick two story had a wraparound porch that as the old truck was placed in park three dogs jumped off of the porch and ran towards the car barking. Adam stretched his arm on the top of the bucket seat looking over and smiling at Kyoko. "Well this is my home"_

_"Adam!" An elderly woman called as she stepped out of the barn that sat across from to the house. "Adam. Shoo, Scout, Duke, Gus. Go back to your house." The dogs turned and began backing up as Adam opened the door and stepped out getting tackled by the three animals. Kyoko opened her door and walked around the truck to meet Adam. "Oh your home... And you brought a girl."_

_"Gran!" Adam cried as the orange haired girl looked over at the elder woman, she had her gray hair pulled back in to pig tails that hung just off the edge of the bandana was wearing on her  head. A black streak was rubbed on to her face that was flecked with light wrinkles and a few dark spots._

_"Oh never mind here come here let me have a look at you." The older woman pulled Kyoko aside as she stared up and down._

_"It's very nice to meet you, I am Kyoko Sohma" the teen took a small step back and bowed to the old woman who chuckled._

_"Dear there is no need to be so formal. My name is Gale but you can just call me Gran. Now come in side you two." Adam followed the two women with their suit cases._

_"Tonight we are having a good old-fashioned BBQ.” Gale said as she brought them in to the kitchen both teens sitting down at the counter as she poured them some water and pulled out her recipe box._

_"Gran. Don’t  go to any trouble we are only here for a few days."_

_"Oh nonsense, now dear that grandson of mine has been very sparse on telling me so what do you do?" The two women conversed as Adam sat in the kitchen casually sneaking bites of the side Gale was making. "Oh stop that you” she said smacking her grandson’s hand as he reached in to the bowl of cookie dough she was mixing “now both of you go get washed up for dinner." The two walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs pausing at the top, settled between the two rooms what a large family portrait of Gale and two strangers the woman holding a baby and a toddler standing next to the man standing in fount of a tree in the fount yard._

_"They’re my parents" he said quietly. "They and my brother died in a car accident when I was a year old. Gran took me in." the slight pain evident in his tone._

_"Adam" she knew that Adam had lost both of his parents from the various interviews and blogs going around but this was the first time he had ever talked to her about it directly. She saw a tear begin to form in his eye and it broke her heart as she reached out to wipe it away he pulled back._

_"Your room is right there it was mine growing up Gran insisted, I am bunking down stairs in the guest bedroom." Noticing how quickly he changed the subject, she decided not to press him further. He’ll tell me when he is ready, she thought._

_"What do I wear?"_

_"Jeans and a T-shirt will be fine it’s a casual thing." Half an hour later Kyoko came down the carpeted stairs and walked in to the kitchen._

_"Well don't you look nice" Gale greeted her as the teen looked down at her favorite cargo pants and a hoodie she had borrowed from Adam, all in all it was the only casual outfit she owned._

_"Really?" She asked as she begun to pull her long orange hair in to a messy ponytail. The madam would skin me alive if she found out I planned on wearing this to any party, she thought as she remembered the little black cocktail dress she had spent the better part of fifteen minutes trying to find a reason to wear it despite Adams suggestion._

_"Yes, so tell me about your family, do you have a picture?" Reaching in to a side pocket on her pants and pulling out her cellphone she found photo from a year ago, her brother had his arms wrapped around her neck with Kyo standing behind her supporting her back and Thoru standing on the other side her hands on Neko’s waist trying to pull him off, all of them we laughing. "Ahh I see where you get your looks..." Oh yeah here we go, she thought as she rolled her eyes as the woman continued to inspect the picture. "You look just like your mother."_

_"What?!"  The teen stared openly at Gale as she looked over a chuckled at the orange haired girl._

_"Yes I can see it; you may have your father's hair and one eye. But everything else is your mother." All of a sudden Kyoko wrapped her arms around the woman "oh my" she laughed as the teen continued to hug her. After a while she let go._

_"I am sorry I don't know what came over me." She mumbled quietly as she looked down at the picture on her phone._

_"No harm done dear.”_

"So I really don't know. She seemed like a sincere young woman." She said pulling Adam from his thoughts.

 "That's what gets me Kyoko was all about confront every issue head on. The way she ended it seem too cowardly for her."

 "Well what do you think happened?" Gale asked picking up on the questioning tone in her grandson’s voice.

 "I don't know but something smells fowler than that time we found a dead possum under the porch." The old woman chuckled.

 "Then what does your gut tell you?" he recognized what she was doing, it was hard for her not to let her training seep in to her regular life. Then again Adam expected nothing less of his phycologist Grandmother.

"To trust no one."

"Okay what does your heart tell you?"

"I can't live without her."

"What does your mind tell you?"

 "That there are pieces of this story missing."

"Then what are you going to do?"

 "Find the pieces. I have to go I'll call you in a few days." Adam hung up the phone and scrolled through his contacts "Harry its Adam... Yeah thanks for letting me borrow it... I have a question... Do you know any private detectives?"

* * *

 

                It had been several weeks and Akito was getting anxious. Ever since the Madam had arrived, Kyoko had hardly been herself.  Several times Akito had sat in on the lessons despite the protest of the Madam and had found that the treatment of her favored cousin was not as she had thought it should be. _The woman was never out right cruel, and though I know very little about making it in the industry. I find she needs to be closely monitored._ Writing a quite note to Momiji and Kyo stating that she wished at least one of them was with the Madam whenever she was with Kyoko. She quickly sealed each letter and handing it off to her assistant.  After returning to her private hall she noticed one of her agents was waiting for her.

“I am assuming you found something” she said as she walked in to her room the agent closing the door behind her.

“Yes in a way.” He said nervously.

“Well what is it?”

“It’s Adam he has hired his own investigators.” He said quickly.

“For what?” she said sounding slightly amused.

“He is suspicious of this break up”

“How can you be so sure?” she turned to look out the window of her study, overlooking the lawn next to the Dojo. Two orange haired people ran through several drills, as they came to a close a little brown haired boy jumped out of the nearby tree on to his father’s shoulders causing the two to tumble to the ground. She closed the shutters as the laughter of the girl rang in through the window.

“I know the man he hired, in fact I trained him.”

“He has something?” she knew what he was hinting at. She turned to face him as she walked over to the sink in the corner filling up the small watering pot that sat next to it.

“Yes, a tape something he says doesn’t make sense but might if we collaborate.”

“Is he trust worthy?”

“To an extent, I know he won’t go to the press but I also know you would rather not let Adam have a way to contact Kyoko at the moment.” _Or ever in my opinion._ She thought as she walked over to the hanging baskets in the opposite corner.

“What does he want?”

“Context”

“Do you think you can work with him?”

“Yes”

“Give him context, do not show our hand just yet but know that we are willing for a fair trade of information.”

The man bowed and turned out of the room as Akito walked in to the adjacent room and began to water the pots that hung form the window sill there as well. The trio that had been outside before had been joined by another and the small family sat on the lawn all huddled close as Neko seemed to be telling a very animated story. _So let the games begin._

 


	17. Surprise!

Thoru sat at her desk sipping her tea as she leafed through the paper work on her hands, the cramped office held five desks four in each corner and one in the center which had stacks upon stacks of files that desperately need to be either filed or sent off to social services. _Hmm if I get some extra time today I think I will start organizing that desk._   She thought as she looked up towards the door as the buzz alerted her that someone was coming in. “Thoru there is someone here for you.” As one of her coworkers held open the security door.

"Oh Satchi, Hi!" she greeted the teen as she sat in the chair across form the older woman.  Reaching in to her desk and pulling out a temporary id badge and handing it to her. “Here you need to wear this at all time while on sight”

"Hi, Mrs. Sohma thanks again for doing this." She said pulling out a note pad and pen after pinning the badge to the lapel of her jacket.

"No its fine” the teen pulled out a tape recorder and turned it on setting it on the desk.

"So can you give me your full title?" the teen asked as she poised her pen waiting for the answer to her question.

 "I am an in home supervisor for social services. But I am basically a house mother."  She noticed the teen scribbling and asking her next question without raising her eyes off the note pad.

"What type of responsibilities does that entail?"

"Well I, along with thirteen others watch over and car for the children that live in this group home. So our duties include; keeping the group home clean, cooking, helping the kids with their homework, and any troubles they have."

 "How many kids do you supervise at one time?"

"About thirty to forty children between the ages of seven and fourteen, though right now we have twenty five since we just had ten age out."

"Sounds busy" the teen said as she stopped writing and looked up at Thoru.

"Yes it is, but I like to work.” she said fondly.

"So what do you do when you first get in?"

 "Read the overnight reports."  She said gesturing to the paper work that is on her desk. The various colors scattered over the desk in various color coordinated stacks.

"What are those?"

 “Just a quick summation of what happens in the last shift if anything major happens it will have a note to check a different form. Like this" she said pointing to the page.

"What does that mean?”

“Usually a code green is someone got sick last night" she said standing up and digging through the files on the central table. "Here it is, yep looks like Fuyumi got sick and since her fever didn't break she is missing school today. So let’s go check on her" the two women walked through the office through a locked door and in to a large living room. The opposite wall was covered by shelves that were filled to the brim with boxes of various toys, and blankets. Cartoons played on the TV as a little girl with wavy dark hair and dark eyes was snuggled under the blankets clutching a stuffed elephant. "How are you feeling?" Thoru said as she placed her hand against the little girl’s forehead.

"My tummy hurts and I am really cold." She whined as she curled in to the blankets even tighter.  

"Okay did you get some medicine?"  She said grabbing another blanket from the shelves and tucking it around the shivering little girl.

"Yes Miss Kirimi gave me some after everyone else went to school.” She said as a cough racked the little girl’s body.  

"Okay do you want something to eat?"

"Soup" Thoru nodded her head as she walked in to the Kitchen with Satchi on her tail. To the right there were three large tables that sat Fifteen each, on the left of them were three ranges one of which had a covered pot sitting on it, two fridges, a large freezer and an industrial dishwasher with several large stacks of plates, and several racks of glasses. A blond woman with long pigtails was wiping down one of the tables.

"Hey, can you start washing the breakfast dishes; Mia called in sick today so it’s just us today. Plus we have all that weekend paperwork to file. Who is this?"  Kirimi asked looking over the teen that walked in behind Thoru. As she moved to pick up the broom and began sweeping the floor.

"This is Satchi.” She said gesturing to the teen who sat down at the table in the kitchen. “Remember I told you she would be following me today."

"Right feel free to ask me anything." She said nodding her head as Thoru began to fill the sink to soak the pans and started to fill the racks with plates and run them through dish machine. As the morning went on Satchi continued to ask many questions, both women answering them. "Thoru the soup is done can you take it to Fuyumi, you know how she clings to you when she is sick."

 "Alright” she said grabbing a bowl from the cupboard she opened the lid on the pot and as the smell filled her nose all she could feel was nauseated. Covering her mouth with her hand she ran towards the nearest restroom and emptied the contents of her stomach.

"Thoru are you okay?" Kirimi asked as she knelt next to the crouching woman, Satchi following close behind.

 "I think so, I don't know what happened” she said still a little woozy.

"Well, have you been feeling sick?"  The blond asked as she felt her forehead.

"No I just opened the pot.... Kirimi what kind of soup was that?"

"It’s leek... Oh my god!" she said screaming as Satchi stood behind the two women looking confused.

"What's going on?" the teen asked as Thoru’s face began to panic.

“No it’s not possible, it can’t be, I can’t be.” Thoru said panicked. “Kyo and I haven’t had time... no not since… Oh wait there was that one time. A couple of weeks ago!” She said calmly realization coming to and then panicking again.

“Okay calm down, you need to calm down.” Kirimi said as she reached in to the closet and handed Thoru a towel. “Take care of Fuyumi. I will be right back.”  She said as she stood and ran out of the bathroom.

Thoru walked through the estate with her purse clutched close to her chest, after the third time she had thrown up Kirimi called their superior who threatened to fire Thoru if she didn’t go home and rest. As she neared their house she let a restrained sigh out and began to walk faster towards the door.

 "Hi mommy!" A voice from behind her called and she jumped up in the air.

"Ahh!! Oh Neko what are you doing here?" she asked nervously holding her purse behind her back.

"Um its 3:30 school let out twenty minutes ago." he said suspiciously as he watched his mother carefully hide her purse behind her back "mommy is there something wrong?"

"What no not at all why would you say that? Nothing’s wrong I just have a lot to do today!" She said rambling.

"Mommy why aren't you at work?" The six year old asked as she moved her bag in front to her chest as she turned and continued to walk towards the door. He knew that every Wednesday she worked till ten, and that day he and his father spent the afternoon doing whatever came to their minds.

"Ohh well I wasn't feeling well so I was sent home." She said quietly.

"Oh no mommy, are you okay? I'll get uncle Hatori and call daddy. You go and lay down and I'll go get help.”

 "No Neko wait!" She called after her son as he dropped his school bag and ran in the direction of the former dragon’s office. She bent down from her knees picking up his bag and walked in the house. "I already know what's wrong." All of a sudden a wave of nausea hit and she ran towards the bathroom dropping her purse. As it hit the floor the latch opened and the contents spilled out. Her wallet, notebook, work Id, several small toy cars, and two positive pregnancy tests.

 


	18. Strung up wrong, Spinning rings

"Kyoko you must project your voice." The Madam ordered as her pupil was bent over gasping for breath.

 "Don't you think she should take a break" Momiji asked as Kyoko straightened herself back up. Kyo had run out in a panic after Neko had told him that Thoru had been sent homesick. _Is it just me or is she harsher when it’s just me?_ He wondered.

"No I am fine" she said as she took a deep breath and began the triplets again. She made it half way through but lost her pitch on the high note. Smashing her fist in to the wall she gazed at the whole trying to regain her composer.

"Again!" The Madam shouted turning from the broken wall she tried again and once again the orange haired teen was gasping for breath as she stepped to high on the last note her voice breaking.

"No she has had enough" the half German putting his foot down. The elder woman stared him down as she walked out and his wife walked in. Kyoko began pacing and jumped as soon as the Madam had slammed the door shut.

“Momiji I can't do this!" She said for the hundredth time since she had been given the set list. She had mastered every other song on that list and this was the last hurdle. _But she never complains when the Madam is around only when it’s just Hann and I._

"Yes you can but what is with you tonight usually you can last a lot longer between breaths. Are you sure you don’t want me to call Hatori maybe you have some congestion in your chest."  He said while putting a hand to her forehead, _well she doesn’t have a fever._

"Its fine I just need to get adjusted."  She said swatting away the hand that was on her fore head, she moved slightly rigidly across the room to face the slightly open door leading outside. 

"Adjusted to what?" Kyoko lifted the hoodie she was wearing reveling a corset.

"You have got to be joking" Hana shouted as she walked over to her husband and his charge.

"What all opera singers preform in them. I never did because I was too young but since I will be eighteen this year I have to." The orange haired girl said as she began to breathe somewhat normally though shallow.

"She is right" Momiji said nodding his head. He had confirmed it with the committee before they had left Italy. When Kyoko returned to the stage she would have to start wearing the cursed thing, it was only fair.

"No that's not it its laced wrong." Pulling the hoodie completely off Hanna began attacking the laces and quickly allowing Kyoko to finally take a full breath.

"Thank God!" She exclaimed as Hanna let her breath deeply for five minutes as the teen walked in circles.

 "Okay turn around." She commanded and began properly syncing her in. “Who synced you in they pulled way to tight especially since you have never performed in one before.” She finished tying off the laces. “It’s going to take a few weeks to get used to it.” 

“Okay do you think you could come over and help me get dressed in the mornings?”

“You want to wear this thing all day?

“Yes” Hanna shook her head as looked over at her husband who rolled his eyes.

“No not at first for now let’s just have you practice in them in a month we will discuss it.” Kyoko tried to argue but was silenced by Hanna placing her hand in her face. “Breath, sing, and then argue.” After doing several of her breathing exercises she began again and this time completing it perfectly.

“I did it! I did it!” she shouted happily as she danced around the room the couple sat back and watched as the teen celebrated her accomplishment.

“So who laced her up?” Hanna asked as she snuggled in to her husband. Chuckling that Kyoko was so happy she had forgotten to argue about the corset.

“The Madam” he said quietly

“Figures she may have worn them for years but it’s not something that is really accomplished on your own.” Hanna said as they continued to watch Kyoko celebrate.

“True, but she has been very distracted as of late, plus she has been a lot harsher.” The former rabbit whispered in to his’s wife’s ear. 

“Maybe she is hiding something”

“Yes but what?” he asked as the Madam walked back in to the room and Kyoko complete the triples perfectly.

“Yes that will be sufficient” she said with a nod “Momiji since you are German I expect you to help her with pronunciations.” She turned towards the blond.

“Ich wurde darauf planen. (I was planning on it)” he said as the Madam turned and walked away pulling out her phone and clutching it rather tightly, _yeah I think she is hiding somethin_

* * *

 

                “You wanted to see me?” Thoru asked as she walked in to the small office.

                “Yes, please sit down.” Hatori said as he opened the draw to his left pulling out the two pregnancy tests and placing them on the desk between them. The brunette looked down at them and held her breath. “I am guessing by your reaction you haven’t told your husband yet.”  She shook her head.

“No, Kyo and I briefly talked about having another baby but we decided to wait and discuss it again after Kyoko left.”  She said quietly. _What am I going to do; I hope that Hatori hasn’t said anything to anyone yet._ She thought as she absent mindedly started spinning her wedding band, a nervous habit that she had developed during her first pregnancy. The former dragon watched her and chuckled quietly at her reaction.

“So then this baby wasn’t planed.” She nodded her head as the former dragon continued “So do you know when this baby was conceived?”

“Yes, it was two months ago. On the twentieth” she said with great certainty.

“You are that certain?” he asked raising and eyebrow and staring her down.

“Yes, I Am.” she said quietly. Hatori took a deep breath.

“Alright, I am going to run a blood test to be positive, and I want you to set an appointment with your OBGYN.” He said as he pulled out her medical file and began writing his notes down to add the new information to her file.

“I have an appointment, tomorrow” she said as she continued to spin her wedding band.

“Good. So when are you planning to tell your Husband?”

“I don’t know. I was going to try to tonight.” She said quietly, _Mom what do I do we weren’t trying for a baby this time I don’t want him to be upset._  She thought.

“Thoru I am giving you a week to tell him or I will.” he threatened.  She nodded her head as Hatori pulled out the necessary equipment and drew two vials of blood.  As she began to leave the former dragon called after her as she reached for the door handle. “Thoru, he may be surprised at first but I know he will be very happy about this.”

Later that night Thoru and Kyo sat on the porch as they listened to their children argue about what to watch on TV. Thoru chuckled as she heard her daughter throw the remote across the room a loud smash vibrated through the wall as she storm out, “Dad, Kyoko broke the remote!” Neko called from the living room.

“Then go upstairs and read” he called back. Shaking his head he looked down at his wife who was leaning against him with his armed wrapped around her midsection and noticed that once again she was spinning her wedding band. Sighing he asked “Thoru is there something wrong?”

 

“NO!” she said quickly “Why do you ask?” she said as she began to sit up but the former cat kept his arms wrapped around her waist.

 

“Well you are spinning your wedding band and you aren’t wearing your engagement ring either” he said looking down at her hand as she stopped the spinning. She took a very shaky breath before she spoke.

“I can’t wear my engagement ring for a while.” She said with regret filling her voice. She never like seeing it off of her finger but somethings couldn’t be helped.

 

“What do you mean?” he asked as she remembered what happened in her first pregnancy.

 

_Thoru sat down at her vanity the small bump in her midsection finally had eclipse her feet. She looked down at her stomach as both hands as she ran both down her midsection. Looking at her left hand which held two rings one a plain simple band and the other held a small cluster of diamonds, she began turning the wedding band as she waited for Kyo to get home. As she moved to twist the engagement ring a few times, but once she tried Turing it the once perfectly fitting ring refused to budge.  Panicking she pulled off her wedding band and began to try and remove her engagement ring. When it continued to refuse to move she began to panic._

_As Kyo walked in to the door of their home an hour later, he found his wife sitting in the living room with the butter and oil sitting across from her on the table. “Thoru what is going on?” he asked she turned to face him and he noticed the panic that ran over her face._

_“It won’t come off!” she shouted as she continued to tug and pull at her engagement ring. Noticing his wife’s actions he sat down and took her left hand in to his. Taking her face in to his free hand he looked in to her eyes before he began to speak._

_“Okay calm down, let me try and if we can’t we will go to Hatori and get this all figure d out.”  After ten minutes he realized that he couldn’t remove it either. After washing off his hands he pulled out his phone and called the Doctor. “Hey, Hatori… Not it’s not really an emergency, but Thoru can’t get her engagement ring off… Yes I know…. No she said she wanted to keep wearing it... Not that I don’t enjoy you consent berating me. Could you come over and cut it off?... Alright we will see you in an hour.”_

_Kyo sat with Thoru leaning against his chest as Hatori began to cut through the band “I am so sorry, Kyo. I thought could wear it for a few more day.” She said tears streaming down her face._

_“Hey its fine.” He said wiping away the tears, as the former dragon looked at the couple. Ever since the pair had moved away they had become nearly inseparable but once they moved back everyone was surprised by how caring the former cat was towards his wife. It was still unusual to see up close but as Thoru continued to get farther along in her pregnancy he had seen the uncharacteristic affection and slowly had become accustomed to it._

_“No its not, I know how hard it was for you to save up the money to buy me the ring. Now its ruined.” She began to sob again as Kyo reached around and pulled her closer against him, letting her raging hormones run for a moment._

_“Thoru it’s alright you can get the band fixed.” Hatori said quietly as he placed the ring on the table. She looked at him and wiped away the tears._

_“Oh I guess your right.” She said enthusiastically as if the late five minutes had never happened. Leaving both men shaking their heads._

“I don’t want to have to pay to get it fixed again” she said quietly hoping that Kyo would understand what she was hinting at.

 

“What do you mean?” he asked carefully his mind turning hoping that she wasn’t say what he thought she was saying.

 

“Kyo, I’m pregnant.” She said quietly. After several moments of silence he leaned his chin down on to her shoulder.

 

“Are you sure?”  he asked looking own at her still flat stomach.

 

“Yes, Hatori did a blood test today and it came back positive.”

 

“So when you came home sick…” he said the sentence training off as he considered what they had been doing the last few months.

 

“It was morning sick, look I know we were going to wait until Kyoko had to leave again for work butt…” she said completing his thought.  Though the former cat began to laugh interrupting her sentence and pulled his wife around and pressed his lips to hers.  After serval moments he moved down and placed his lips against her still flat stomach.

 

“Hello there, well you’ve decided to come at a very interesting time.” He spoke to the unborn child.

“So you’re not mad?” she asked as she threaded her fingers through his hair.

 

“Mad?” he asked looking up he quickly scooped her face in to his hands and “Thoru, I know we weren’t planning this” he said moving his left hand from her face and moving it to her stomach. “But I will love this baby as much as their sister and brother.” He moved closer to her and once again pressed his lips to hers. As they continued their embrace neither noticed their two children who were leaning over the edge of the roof and pondering the conversation they both had just heard. 


	19. She's Slipping

“Momiji, hey its Sarah look Adam’s not picking up his phone when you get this can you call me back? Okay bye.” The brunette sat in the overly crowed restaurant waiting for her meal as she went over the reports form the venues she was working with. _I hope Adam is okay I haven’t been able to talk to him for three weeks. Maybe he is just writing._ Scribbling a note in the margin of one she glanced up and noticed that a strange woman was staring at her, she ignored it and when back to work. After a few more minutes the server brought Sarah her food she was approached by the older woman who had been staring at her.

 

“Sarah Beam?”  _She looks familiar where do I know her from._ She thought as the elder woman moved to the opposite side of the table. The woman was impeccably dressed, designer everything Sarah noticed as the other woman sat down with grace and poise. _Okay so this woman defiantly not American._

 

“Yes?” She asked looking over the woman once again, _damn it I know you from somewhere but where?_  Tucking the paper work back into its folder and off to the side she gave the mysterious woman her undivided attention.

“I need to speak with you.” The woman spoke her accent apparent, _French_ , _okay so that narrows it down_. She looked over at her surprise companion and decided to roll with it after all she rarely got to eat in peace whenever she was back home, _why should being on the road change anything?_

 

“What about?” She asked taking a sip of water as the waitress reappeared next to the table.

 

“Would you like anything?” she asked the elder woman in slightly broken English.

 

“The young man you work for.” She said waiving away the waitress very rudely, not even bothering to answer her.

 

“Do you mean Adam?” she asked sending an apologetic look towards her waitress as she focused on figuring out who the unexpected lunch companion was.

 

“Yes, him now...” the disgust was evident in her voice, but Sarah temporarily ignored that as her eyes widened in realization.    


“Wait I know you. Your Gisele Dubois you are Kyoko Sohma’s instructor.” She as she interrupted the Madam with a gasp.

 

“Yes I am now as I was saying. You need to control your young man.” The Madam said the last part coming out in a growl.

 

“Excuse me?” Sarah asked as she raised her eyebrow in confusion. _What the hell is she talking about I can’t get the guy to answer his phone let alone control what he does._

 

“Yes it is unbecoming to use Miss Sohma to levy his career while they were together but to tarnish her reputation now is highly disgraceful.”  The anger and venom sank in to her voice as the brunette sat across from her toughly confused.

 

“I am sorry come again?”

 

“You heard me I will tolerate no more attacks on my pupil. If this behavior continues I will take drastic measures.”  _Oh wait she is talking about those remarks that Mitch keeps making?_ Earlier that week she had come across the news alert that had some rather awful things to say about Kyoko; most of them stating that while she and Adam were together she was cheating on him, and how she was just using him to fuel her career.

 

“And what kind of measures do you mean?” Sarah asked as she allowed her own anger for this unexpected encounter to creep into her voice. _My god this woman is an idiot, why is she assuming that all of these things are coming from Adam? Mitch is the one who is continually stroking those fires._

 

“Miss I have been in this business a lot longer than any of you have, and while I cannot do much about  America I can certainly make sure your young Casanova will never preform anywhere outside of the US, have I made myself clear?” she  said with ice in her veins. _What the hell if you have been in this industry so long then I would think you would be used to the unapologetic rumors that floated around constantly._

 

“Crystal.” She said staring down the woman.

 

“Good now, Good day” the elder woman got up and left just as abruptly as she had arrived, _dear god and I thought Mitch was bad._ She sat at the table thinking leaving her food untouched. After serval minutes her phone began to ring looking at the screen she answered the call.

 

“Hello.” She said quietly.

 

“Hey Sarah, I got your message. What do you mean you can’t get ahold of Adam?” Momiji’s voice rang from the other end of the line.

 

“That’s not important right now.” She said quickly as she motioned for the waitress to wrap up her food to go. After that little scene she all Sarah wanted was to get out of there as fast as possible, handing her a card so that the bill was taken care of.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Guess who showed up and threatened not only me but Adam as well? Nope no guesses well I tell you…” the waitress brought back her boxed up food and her card quickly picking everything up she stood and walked out. “Well it was the Madam.”

 

“What?”  Sarah quickly relied what the Madam had said to her, “Sarah I hope you know that the rest of us don’t feel that way.”

 

“I know, and thought I am not one hundred percent sure I think all of these nasty rumors are coming from Mitch and not Adam.” she said sitting in her town car on the way back to the venue. “But Momiji she seems to be slipping what’s going on?”

 

“I honestly don’t know, but I am going to find out.” He said as the line went dead. Dialing once again the line rang four times before she heard the same message once again.

 

“Hey you’ve reached Adam.  I am unable to answer right now so you know what to do after the beep.”  The woman shook her head at the ridiculous voice message, _I feel like I am missing something._

 

* * *

 

Akito sat quietly in her office as she was going over the newest reports form her investigator. He and is friend had found two email accounts that had information on the break up one we easily trace back to Mitch the other was harder to find. _We have hit several dead ends. We are trying everything to find the owner of the account; you will hear form me once we know._ She read the line over and over again. A nock rang through the room as she placed the paper back in to the file “Come in” she called as she closed the file and looking up “Momiji to what do I owe the pleasure?”

 

“You have the copies of the contract Kyoko and the Madam signed right?”  He asked quickly as he looked down the hall to make sure it was empty before he continued.”

 

“Yes but what is this about?” Momiji quickly told the former god everything he had seen in the last two weeks, from her harsh treatment at rehearsals to the conversation he had just ended with Sarah.

“So the Madam needs further vetting.”  She leaned back in her chair, placing her hand against her forehead. “Momiji keep close eyes on Kyoko and I will look in to this matter.”  The half German man nodded his head. Turning to leave a thought crossed his mind, stopping he looked over at Akito and asked.

 

“Akito have you told Shigure about this?” the former god began to laugh; the former rabbit was highly confused as he watched the woman laugh for a good five minutes before speaking.

 

“No because you know what he would do?” she said still laughing as she slowed down trying to catch her breath.

 

“What is that?” he asked as she finally began to breathe normally though as she spoke there was still a trace of humor in her voice.   


“He would try to turn this story in to his latest best seller.” Momiji chuckled at the thought, which after a few years Shigure had begun to start writing a story about the curse which caused to Akito to flip and kick him out for a few months. As he walked out of the office neither noticed the man who was sitting outside of the open window.

 


	20. Aggressive Arguing

The loud banging could be heard through the doors as Riku walked through them, just as he had suspected he found his cousin smashing her fists against the weighted punching bag as it sung back in to the wall the loud bang filled the room till the sound of her fist colliding with it once more followed.  The school’s dojo was empty except for the one person Riku had been looking for, _so predictable._ “You know, it may be the last day before break but that doesn’t give you the right to just skip class.” 

 

“Like I give a Damn, this wasn’t my idea to come to school in the first place. I already have my Diploma. I finished that six months ago.” Right, left and repeat she continued to take out all of her frustrations out on the inanimate object but it wasn’t working.  She was still overly angry, _what the hell were they thinking?_ She shouted in her head trying to ignore her cousin.

 

“Ohh then why come here and make my life a living hell?!” he yelled finally snapping. She glanced over at him noticing how ridged he was holding himself.  His Knuckles were white as he pressed his fingers in to the palms of his hands, he stood ridged and bent over slightly as rage openly ran across his face, his once soft features now harsh.  He looked her over as he tried to control the urge to pummel her right then and there. They both knew it would happen, because it had before…

_A seven year old Kyoko and Riku were standing in the middle of the dojo as they both were working on their, drills. Their fathers had left to find some paperwork that was needed for the upcoming school year.  “Hey Sissy, keep your arm straight.” The little girl called as Riku balled up his hands at his side._

_“Don’t call me Sissy!” he growled, his face twisted in anger as he stopped his earlier movements._

_“Why shouldn’t I, you look and awful lot like a girl to me” she teased. Their little quips had begun to get more and more personal, and no one in the family could figure out why._

_“That’s it!” he shouted as he advanced on to the little girl, Kyoko stood strong as she blocked his first attack a jab over the shoulder but when she blocked him she had left herself open and he took it throwing his foot in to her gut, crying out she dropped to the floor and as she was stood up she moved forward and was about to send her foot in to his chin but it was caught by her father,_

_“Okay that’s enough out of the two of you.” Yuki stated as he held his son back as the little boy struggled against this father, “what happened?”_

_“She started it” he cried as his face scrunched up in rage._

_“Did not you threw the first punch but don’t worry I’ll make sure you regret that.” she cried being to advance but her own father held her back._

_“Come on!” Riku shouted as his father picked him up as the little boy still struggled to get away and began walking away with him._

_“That’s right take that sissy boy out of here!” she shouted as both of their fathers looked at the other in surprise._

“Why don’t you ask my Parents” she said  not caring that the last time Riku snapped she had a broken arm and hand to do and addition in the cast. It was at least once a year that they both snapped and often enough it was each other that got the lashing because of it. “Damn it!” she roared as she turned and threw her ankle through a board that easily broke. She began to pace trying to work off the agitation that had been building all week.

 

“I know you have trouble expressing you emotions but let’s try not being violent for once and tell me what this is about.” He said as she continued to pace. _It’s bad enough that she is disruptive in class but now my teacher has sent me out of class to find her._ Trying to calm himself down when she was this worked up was never easy.

 

“Go to hell!” She shouted. Throwing a broken piece of plank at his head which he easily side stepped. 

 

“Fine you want to fight lets fight.” He said as he came up behind her and landed a punch in to her gut. Quickly she regained her footing and attacked as Riku calmly blocked everything she was throwing at him. “Man you must be pissed off, usually you put up more of a challenge than this.” He taunted her as she attacked once again this time she was able to sweep his legs out from under him.

 

“Shut up, I am so tired of you.” She said attempting to kick him but he caught her ankle and swiftly sent her flying on to her butt as he kicked right at the back of her knee.

 

“Please. Little miss perfect. I am the one sick of you!” he shouted as both got back on their feet.  He quickly grabbed both of her arms and held them behind her back. She struggled against his hold as he vented.  “All everyone in the family talks about is you the great Kyoko Sohma.  God sometimes I just wish you would just leave and never comeback. It’s like nothing I ever do is good enough.” Breaking his hold on her she turned around and quickly kicked him in the head sending in him flying in to the training equipment.

 

“Shut up at least you’re not being replaced!”  Riku held his jaw as he tried to get up, as he tried to stand his legs gave out under him and he crashed in to the over turned equipment again.

 

“What do you mean? Everyone loves you how on earth are you being replaced?” He asked feeling the pain as he spoke.  After slipping several more times he decided to simply sit on the cold floor as he regained his stability.

 

“My mom is pregnant.” She choked out after several minutes as tears began to fall down her face, Riku looked up at her surprised.

 

“Kyoko.” A third familiar voice called at her, turning she saw her father who looked worried and concerned and Yuki who had a surprised look across his face. Tears continued to fall down her face as Kyo attempted to walk towards her she backed away and ran. “Kyoko!”  He shouted as she ran with her father chasing after her.  The former rat looked over at his son continue to sit on the floor not moving.

 

“Dad I am okay, it’s just been awhile since she has outright really tried to hurt me.” Riku said as his father had come over to help his son up. As they both walked out towards the door _man I got off lucky the last time I had a concussion and three broken ribs._ As they walked out of the dojo and towards the main office Riku finally spoke. “Dad have you and mom ever thought about having more kids?”

 

“No” the former rat said as they walked in to the office Yuki quickly signed his son out of school and they both got in the waiting car. Riku being in to mush pain to finish the school day never complained, _oh well just one more thing to blame on Kyoko._ They booth sat in silence for a while before Riku had to ask the question that had been plaguing him for several years.

 

“Well why not?” Riku asked his father; at one point when he was younger he had wished for there to be someone for him to play with. Kyoko was the only one of his cousins that was close to his age so they were thrown together a lot. _Maybe if I had a sibling then we wouldn’t always be at each other’s throats._  

 

“Well, your mother and I had very complicated relationships with our own brothers. So once we found out that we were expecting you, we talked about if the idea of having more than one appealed to us.it never did, we didn’t want to put you through what we did.” The fact that Riku and Kyoko had been so close in age was a coincidence. If it hadn’t had been for Kyoko being born early, both cousins would have been born in the same week.  In fact Matchi had spent the last two months of her pregnancy in bed terrified that she would go in to early labor as well.

 

“But dad you and Mom have great relationships with my uncles.” Thinking about the serval time that he had seen his parents with their siblings over the years and all though both of his uncles were rather over the top he could never remember a time when they ever really argued with each other.  _Although I think we all can agree that putting Ayame and Kakeru in the same room without a buffer is a recipe for disaster._

 

“Yes now but, Riku when I was your age I could barely be in the same room as my brother without hating his guts and up until high school your mother had only seen her brother once or twice.” Pausing Yuki took a shaky breath remembering what life was like before Thoru came in to the Sohma’s lives. “We both went through a lot of pain because of our siblings and although everything is okay now it was something that we didn’t really want to push.”  The phone began to ring as Yuki looked over at his son and picked it up. “Hello… yes, are you sure… alright we will see you at the estate.”  Hanging up the phone the former rat looked out the front window for a moment.

 

“Who was that?” the teen asked as his father started the car.

 

“Kyo he said he needed space to talk to Kyoko and to go ahead without them.” Yuki took one more pointed look at his son before he pulled off on to the road.

 

“Hey that reminds me. Why were both of you at school anyway?”  Looking over at his father while holding his jaw, _damn it I think it’s broken._

 

“Well Kyo said he had to take Thoru to a doctor’s appointment and asked if I would sit in with Kyoko’s training for him for an hour. But I think you need to see a doctor about that jaw it looks like it could be broken. ” _though now I know why he was taking her to the doctor,_ Yuki thought as he continued to drive. 

 


	21. The Trouble with Siblings

“Kyoko I know you are up here.” Kyo called out as he stood up on the roof of the school. After he knew where she was going he had stomped and called Yuki telling him to leave as well as calling Thoru to tell her what was going on.

 

“Go away.” She mumbled, following her voice he found her sitting on down facing the city’s skyline.  Her knees pressed up against her chest with her arms wrapped around them as her long hair moved with the wind and tears continued to roll down her face: anger, embarrassment, and resentment all ran over her face.

 

“Kyoko don’t you think you are a little old to be acting like this?” looking over at his daughter his heart broke a little bit, _Damn it she had just stopped crying an now she has started all over again._

 

“Yes.” She mumbled embarrassed by her behavior, “But this is all Neko’s fault.” She said as her father sat down next to her. Letting her arms fall back and support her weight she leaned back and looked over at her father.

 

“Yes, let’s blame the six year old for how the seventeen year old is acting.” He quipped as she rolled her eyes “What’s going on with you?” she exhaled loudly as she curled back up in to a ball before speaking.

 

“Well last night I was trying to calm down on the roof…”

 

_Kyoko laid down on the cold tile staring up at the stars, that little brat needs to take a chill pill she thought as she ran through her breathing exercises. Just as she begun to relax she felt someone poking at her side. “Neko what do you want?” she growled without looking over._

_“Look I know that you don’t have much experience with this so I will cut you a break. You’re supposed to entertain me!”  He shouted pointing his finger in her face. Rolling her eyes she pushed him back just firm enough so he would fall down on his butt and not off of the roof. Chuckling quietly as he fell with a thump, Looking towards the star the little boy lifted his finger up and began tracing shapes in the stars quietly._

_“Get lost.” She grumbled as he was looking up at the stars. They both heard voices coming from the ground below looking over she watched as her brother leaned over the edge to see who was talking._

_“Sissy come here” he called to her as he motioned for her to come closer towards the edge, leaning towards him she heard her parents voices and crawled over to see what they were discussing all of a sudden her father began to a laugh and leaning over towards her mother’s stomach and spoke._

_“Hello there, well you’ve decided to come at a very interesting time.” Kyoko gasped as she stood up and began to leave the roof with her brother on her tail. Gripping the edge of the roof she dropped down and swung in to the open window she had crawled out of, looking over she waited for her brother to do the same. His little legs barely hung in front of the window, she grabbed his legs behind his knees as he let go of the roof. How the hell did Neko get up there, she thought._

_“What’s going on?” he asked as they both were standing in the hallway as she put him down on the ground._

_“Mom’s Pregnant” she said quietly as she was trying to process the information she had just received._

_“What does that mean?” he asked blocking the door to his sister’s room so she couldn’t lock him out while he had questions that still needed answers._

_“Well it means mom is going to have another baby, we are going to be getting a new brother or sister.” She said trying to sound excited but all she really felt was confused, I don’t think they were trying for a new baby or they would have talked to Neko and me about it like they did last time. It must be an Oops baby she thought._

_“A new sissy?” the orange haired teen nodded her head “Yeah!” he shouted_

_“Shh, keep your voice down you can’t say anything until mom and dad tell us themselves.” Kyoko was really confused when her parents had told her that Thoru was pregnant with Neko the then preteen had been very upset and ended up locking herself in the closet. It finally took Akito coming over with tickets to the ballet for that night to get her out. Even then it took another two months for her to be excited about the idea of having a sibling._

_“Yes a new sissy it will be great to finally have someone to play with me.” He said walking toward his room; Kyoko stopped him bending down to his level she spoke calmly._

_“But Neko I play with you”_

_“Well yeah but you are going away again; and you haven’t been here very long. This new sissy will stay right here and play with me and love on mommy and daddy” Neko ran down the hall leaving his sister with tears streaking down her face._

“Look dad I know that this baby isn’t really going to replace me,” she said her voice breaking “I just don’t like the idea that Neko already is so excited about having this new baby. More than I was when you told me about him.  What if he decides to stop bugging me with his almost perfectly timed phone calls?” She began crying again and Kyo rubbed his daughters back, she turned so that she was crying on his shoulder. Kyo chuckled as he thought about the number of times she had complained to him that Neko always called in the middle of very important things. The last time he called in the middle of Kyoko acceptance speech for being award the most promising new comer to the theatrical arts. He let her cry for another few minutes as he tried to figure out what to tell her, it was times like these he wished that he had a sibling.

 

“Well for one Neko is still going to want to bug you” he joked, she chocked back a laugh, as the tears began to subside. “Two, Neko really misses you, and just because we are having another baby does not mean that is going to change but he is six so he doesn’t understand that is will be awhile before he can really play with it.”

 

“But he is so excited and I am not, I feel like a rotten daughter.” She moved her head from her father’s shoulder to her arms which were resting on her legs that that were pushed up against her chest.

 

“Well little one as much as I love you, you love being the center of attention and, this new baby is going to take all of the attention for a while, which is why I wanted to wait until you were back on your feet before we started trying for a baby.”

 

“But you had an oops baby” she said completing his thought.

 

“I guess you could call it that, honestly we never expected this to happen.” Looking up she raised an eyebrow at her father as he chuckled and continued “I know you may not want to hear it but it took years of trying for us to have you and your brother.”

 

“Ew, dad” she groaned as Kyo chuckled. 

 

“But I want you to know, day or night, no matter what time zone you are in. Your mother and I will always be there for you. So will Neko, in fact would you like to take him for the summer?” he joked

 

“God, no” she scoffed, “Hey dad is Riku alright”

 

“I think so but you may have broken his jaw” he looked at her shaking his head

 

“What he threw the first punch!” she shouted standing up and began leaving the roof

 

“Kyoko how many times do I have to tell you that is no excuse?”  He called as she opened the door,

“Yeah yeah, I know now come on we have to get to the opera house or else the Manager is going to have a conniption fit. Believe me you do not want to deal with that” she spoke as they both began to walk down the stairs.

 

 


	22. About that Night

Adam sat in front of the television screen in the beach house, it had been over two months but the private detective said he had found out what had happened with the break up. The older man that Adam had hired stood behind him, and he held the remote.Adam bounced his left leg nervously waiting for the explanation.  "What you are about to see is footage from the ticket stand in front of the venue where you preformed in Rome. The venue places audio recorders near ever window for security reasons so we have full video and audio of everything that happens."

"Okay” his leg still shaking, _why am I nervous?_ He thought as his eyes never left the dark screen.

"According to my sources Kyoko received a note ending the relationship instead of the pass you had designated for her."  Adam furrowed his brow in confusion but remained silent as he thought he might explode if he had to wait one more minute to find the answers he was looking for. The detective pressed the play button and the screen came to life. The teen lost himself staring at her image, Kyoko stood at the counter and was speaking to one of the employees. Her normally long hair pulled up in to a messy bun, the designer bag a definite contrast to the stolen hoodie and cargo pants she was wearing. _She looks positively perfect_.

_"Hi, I need to pick up my pass." The orange haired teen on the screen spoke and everything else but the images on the screen faded away._

_"Name" the girl at the counter pulled out a sheet of paper. Kyoko pulled a card out of her wallet and placed it on the counter before she spoke._

_"Kyoko Sohma, here is my photo Id if you need it." The girl looked down the list running her finger by every name on the list stopping halfway down and making a mark on the sheet of paper, and then she examined the id and reached in to the drawer._

_"Here you go miss" Handing the orange haired girl a folded piece of paper._

_"What is this?" Kyoko asked looking at the employee as she unfolds it, the girl at the counter shrugs her shoulder as the orange haired teen reads the note and though she is fairly far away you can see the shock and hurt running across her face. "What the hell is this!?" She screams at the girl behind the counter. Tears began to streak down her face as the words of the note seemed to seep into her very being._

_"I was informed to give that to you” She said gesturing to the sheet of paper, looking rather nervous as Kyoko took several ragged breaths trying to control the swirling emotions running around in her head._

_"Fine then let me buy a backstage pass and ticket."  She managed but growled out the last part causing the girl behind the counter to jump slightly._

_"I can't miss" the girl said quietly as she began to tremble._

_"The hell you can't. If your worried about money don't worry I have plenty." Pulling out her black AmEx card and slammed it on to the table. "Here I think this will cover it charge me double I don't care!"_

_"No miss I can't. I was told to not let you purchase anything” the worker was visibly shaking but at that moment Kyoko was far to hurt to care that she was scaring a total stranger for simply doing what they were told to do._

_"What?!" several heads in the other line turned to look at the girl who was causing such a commotion._

_"Please miss I am only doing my job." The poor girl looked like she was on the verge of tears as Kyoko reached in to her bag pulling out her phone._

_"Adam! Adam what the hell is going on?!" her voice began breaking as the manager walked up behind the girl at the counter._

_"Is there a problem?" he asked as the girl quietly told him what was going on._

_"Damn it Adam answer your god damn phone!" Turning with tears streaming down her face she slammed her hands on to the content. "Damn it, sell me that pass!" She shouted._

_"Security!" The Manager shouted as she looked back._

  "What the hell?!" Adam shouted as the screen froze. _My god what the hell was that?_ He thought as the detective waited for the teen to speak as his mind was reeling over the video he had just seen.  "Wait what about the note she left me?"  Remembering what had happened after the concert.

"Sir I watched this for another four hours when you said the note was handed to you not once did she or anyone else return and leave a note at the counter."  The older man said finally speaking. Keeping his voice as neutral as possible as the teens leg began to twitch again.

"What? Who told them not to sell her a pass or even a ticket?" Adam growled as he was trying to piece everything together but came up short. _None of this makes sense, none of it._

"Well this is another camera in the hall." The paused screen changed and rather than Kyoko standing at the counter it was the ticket Manager and he was standing in the hall going over various paperwork when he was approached.

_"Senor what can I do for you?"  His heavy accent made the words almost unrecognizable. The man reached in to his suit pulling out a folded note a picture of Kyoko._

_"Okay there is a girl Kyoko Sohma she is coming here tonight you are to give her this note."  The man showed him a picture of the girl, and handed him a note._

_"Okay senor." The manager said nodding his head he began to turn away but the other put a hand on the man’s shoulder and spoke._

_"Oh and don't sell her a ticket or a backstage pass. Under any circumstances."  His voice was frim but determined as he let go of the Italian’s shoulder._

_"Yes senor I will make all of my employees aware."_

As the video pause the detective looked over at Adam who was bent over his knees and shaking.  He waited several minutes before the concern he was feeling override his instincts to let Adam ask any more questions he may have about the investigation.

"Sir, are you alright?"  He asked, Adam lifted the upper part of her torso as he roared in anger

 "Mitch!"

 


	23. Happy Birthday

“Damn it why do I have to clean the locker rooms in the Dojo by myself!? Why can’t Neko help?” Kyoko shouted as her father and brother sat in the office, the boy way scribbling on a few work sheets that Hanna had given him.

“perché non ho rotto la mascella di Riku. (Because I didn’t break Riku’s jaw)” he spoke in Italian not looking up at his sister.  

“Hey it’s not broken just bruised.”  She grumbled folding her arms across her chest and leaning against the door frame.  The orange haired teen had meet her cousin at his house to apologize about the fight, but as he exited the car she bused out laughing seeing the giant bruise that had taken residence on Riku’s left side of his face.

“You know the punishment for starting a fight” Kyoko went to interrupt her father but he held up his hand as she opened her mouth to argue. “You threw the piece of board at him you started it.”

“But it’s my birthday” she wined as he returned his attention to the paper work that needed filing.

“Domani (Tomorrow)” Neko chipped in looking up at his sister with a mischievous grin but the teen was too angry at her father to really notice.

“Yes and it still will be in a few hours when you are done,” angrily she sat down in the door way Kyo never looking up from his paper work sighed “Just because it’s your birthday tomorrow doesn’t mean anything.”

“But the party is tonight” she wined again despite Kyo’s best efforts his daughter still acted like a spoiled brat whenever she tried to get out of a punishment. _I don’t know where she got it form, maybe from Shigure she did spend a lot of time around him and Akito when she was younger._

“Again doesn’t change anything.” He said still paying more attention to his paperwork then the moody teenager in front of him.

“But Daddy” she wined again this time he looked up a scowled at her as he spoke.

“You But daddy me one more time Kyoko, eighteen or not I will make you clean the entire estate with a tooth brush.”  He warned.

“Fine” she grumbled, knowing she was thoroughly beaten she stood quickly and walked out of the room. The little boy looked up from his work and sighed.

“What’s wrong Bud?” his father asked without looking up.

“I was just wondering when my new sissy was coming.” The little boy mused as he moved to stand over by his father’s desk. Peek over the side he watched as the orange haired man continued to write on various pieces of paper.

 "It will be for at least another six months.” He said without looking up.

“But I want to play with my sissy now.” The little boy wined. _What the hell is with my children today first Kyoko and now him. The last time Neko whined he was a toddler._

 "Katsuya” Kyo said finally looking up from his work “You do know that you could have a little brother.”

“What how come you don’t know?” the brunette boy jumped back in surprise and Kyo fought the urge to laugh.

“It’s too early to tell” he said calmly returning to the last of the paperwork.

“But I though you knew everything?” Neko raised his eyebrow as he taunted his father, waiting for the response he was hoping for.

 “This is something only god would know” he said without thinking.

“Okay so I’ll go ask Akito” Kyo chuckled as he watched his son turn to leave. _Damn walked right in to that one,_ the former cat thought.

“Neko!” he called after the boy who stopped and turned around, looking as innocent as possible

“Yes Daddy?” It was an inside joke for the former members of the zodiac and their families, whenever someone would remark that only god knew something the response was to ask Akito.  Kyo stood up and walked over to his son kneeling down so that he was at the same level. 

“You do know that just because your Mother and I are having another baby that Kyoko will still be your sister. That won’t change anything.”

“Well yeah but she is going away again.” The little boy said as a tear began to fall down his face.

“Come here,” Picking up his son Kyo moved back to his desk chair, and sat down placing Neko on his knee. “I know we talked about this when she first had to leave so what’s going on?”

“She is always going away, and the kids in my class are always talking about all the fun things they do over the weekend with their siblings. I just wish I had more stories to tell, I have the best big sister ever but she’s always gone.” Neko’s voice broke as he finished talking, the tears running down his cheeks. Kyo reached over grabbing the box of tissues and began wiping the tears off of the little face as his heart broke.  _Kyoko if only you could see this, you’d never doubt Neko’s affection for you again._

“Blow” he said as he held the tissue up to the little boy’s nose “okay better?’ Neko nodded as Kyo took a deep breath. “First, I want you to know that no matter what Kyoko loves you, but in order for her to follow her dream she has to travel.” The little boy nodded his head “second this new baby, well it’s going to be a while before you are going to be able to play with him or her. When babies are first born they require a lot of sleep.” 

“Okay daddy” the six year old nodded his head “I just have one more question.” Looking up at his father his once sad eyes became very curious.

“What’s that?”

“Where do babies come from?”  Kyo coughed at his son’s question, looking down he rubbed the back of his head as the former cat tried to find an answer to the abrupt question.

“Why don’t you ask your mother?” he said hoping it would placate his son.

“Alright but she said to ask you so I don’t know why her answer would change.”  The little boy said as he walked out of the room. Kyo let out a relived breath as he wasn’t pushed for an answer.

Later that night everyone was gathered in the banquet hall as Akito stood up to speak. “Once again we gather to celebrate the coming New Year and the Birthday of one of our very own.” Akito smiled at the orange haired teen as she sat sandwiched between her parents with Neko on her lap. “And without further ado.” As she spoke several servants brought in many trays of food. As every once began to eat the conversations continued.

“So tell me what’s it like traveling around the globe?” Ritzu asked as he sat next to Thoru, the whole room was buzzed with activity as stories were exchanged of the year and kids ran around paying. After eating Neko had taken Sota somewhere but no one could find them. 

“Never boring I can say that.” she said with a laugh. _Where is that little brat I swear if he is not in eye sight, there is no telling what kind of trouble he is getting in to._ She thought as the orange haired teen began to look around for her little brother.

“And how are you doing? With all of the Adam drama?” he asked innocently as Kyo held his breath as he listens to his cousin ask the question everyone else was wondering the room quieted a little as she took a ragged breath.

“I am doing a lot better actually” though her voice was strained she hadn’t shed a tear, but after a moment the worst happened.

“I AM SORRY, I WAS SO INCONSIDERTAE, PLEASE FORGIVE ME EVERYONE WANTEDTO KNOW SO I FIGURE D I WOULD ASK, PLEASE FORGIVE ME. MAY I DISAPEAR FORM THE WORLD FOR MY CARELESSNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!” Rizu screamed as he began sobbing and begging. Kyoko sat there stunned it had been awhile since the former monkey had an outburst like that, but before anyone else could act Neko dropped down from the ceiling, knocking the former monkey out.

“Anyone have a problem with that?” he asked still sitting on top of the unconscious man’s head, as several people began laughing. Both Kyoko and her father shook their heads in frustration, as Thoru stood up to check on the unconscious man.  “Nope then it’s time for presents.”  The little boy shouted as he jumped off of Rizu’s head and ran towards his sister.

“Yes let’s start before everything gets out of hand again.” Akito called as she handed Kyoko her gift, the teen took the package opening it and unwrapped a beautiful silk Kimono. As the hour went on and everyone laughed and told stories as the orange haired teen finished unwrapping all of her gifts.  

“Okay my turn” Neko called as Thoru and Kyo looked at each other.

“Neko I know we talked about this now that you’re almost seven your old enough to understand why you wouldn’t get any presents.”  Thoru said as she bent down to smooth out Neko’s hair. Up until then Neko had gotten a gift from his parents on Kyoko’s birthday so that he wouldn’t have felt so left out.

“Actually mom I did get him one gift.” Kyoko called as her parents turned she held a small wrapped box in her hand no bigger than a book.

“All right!” Neko yelled as he ran towards his sister. Sitting in her lap he began tearing into the box. The paper flying everywhere as the family watched the little boy. Opening the box he found a blue envelope.

“Wait don’t just tear in to it let me help you.” Kyoko said as she covered his hands in hers. Opening the folded piece of paper to revile another Neko read it aloud.

“One First class Passenger/ Unaccompanied minor. Flight 613 to London England Nonstop, July 10th no return date. Passenger Name; Katsuya Sohma?” the rest of the family were surprised as the little boy looked up at his sister in confusion. “What kind of gift is this?”

“Well when I leave here I am going to be preforming at the Royal Opera house in London and I figured it was about time you had something very interesting to talk about to your friends.” She said with a smile looking up at her parents both were glowing with pride as Neko finally understood what his gift was.

“I am going to London?!?!” Kyoko nodded as he started jumping around shouting about how excited he was. As he continued to celebrate the hall was filled with the sounds of the New Year’s bells. As the group excited Kyo noticed that his daughter was not among them. Walking out side in the freshly fallen snow he found her sitting on the low hanging tree branch right outside.

“You didn’t have to do that.” He said as she turned her head towards the sky.

“Yeah but I figure it would help everyone.” She said quietly.

“Why is that?

“Well mom is now three months along meaning that the baby will be born in June. So I figure you and mom will be needing some help. Since I am already under contract and can’t get some time off the least I can do is take Neko for a while. “She paused for a moment as she looked up at the stars and taking a deep breath she continued. “Besides Neko deserves to one up those kids in his class I mean how many of them have siblings that can take them to other countries?”

“You heard” the former cat spoke softly, as he continued to watch his daughter, _when did she get to be so grown up?_

“Yeah, I was in the attic and apparently the duct from your office leads up there.  I didn’t realize how much he missed me, so I figured I am making all of this money why not do something good with it.” She said not noticing her father’s staring as she was preoccupied with looking out on the city at night.

“What about when you are working?”

“Well Momiji and Hanna will both be there too and they both agreed to help and I already called the Opera house and they have a care facility I can use if all of us are working.” _I seems that she has thought of everything,_ Kyo thought as he watched his daughter jump down from the tree branch she had been sitting on and moved to stand right in front of him. With her heels she was the same height as him, and looking straight in to her multicolored eye, he kept looking for the little girl that used to drag him everywhere she went and who refused to go to bed without seeing him to say goodnight. 

“I noticed it’s an open ended ticket how long are you planning on keeping him?” Kyo thought about the idea of Neko being gone and even with a new baby he knew the house would be far too quiet for his liking.

“At least till school starts, but there is a study abroad program he could qualify for. I will be in London for at least a year.”  

“I don’t think your mother would care for that option.”  He said flatly, _and neither would I._

“Well next year he can test in to for the summer program.” Pulling out a pamphlet she handed it to her father, “It’s connected with my troop so they have programs in every city I have ever been or will be going. It’s just a thought” Kyoko walked into the house leaving her father staring up at the sky wondering, _why must all of my children leave._

 


	24. The Plan, A Gift, and the Truth

Adam stared out the window of his private jet _. I am almost there_. Thinking over the events of the last few days he tried to figure out his next move.

_"Sir.Sir!" The private detective he had hired had just finished showing him the tape, which proved one thing he had some major changes in staffing to make. Mitch I am going to destroy you for this I don’t care if Kyoko will forgive me or not but either way you are finished, he thought._

_"Do you have anything else?" He asked still shaking_

_"Yes and no it seems that Mr. Hague wasn't the only one involved in this it seems he had been receiving emails from an unknown source." He said handing the teen a file, inside had several pictures of various emails the last of which saying, Mitch you've go too far._

_"What do they entail?" He asked not bothering to look through them all. I'll take this with me a look over them on the plane he thought._

_"The plans mostly but they have deleted most of them if I can find out who the address belongs to then you can asked the both directly."_

_"Do it!" He shouted as he began to pace, His muscles twitching calling out to be used for something._

_"Sir there is something else." He said nervously._

_"What is it?" the teen asked as he continued to pace the large room._

_"Apparently an Akito Sohma has also has someone investigating this matter."_

_"Did you say Akito?" The teen asked stopping turning to face the other, I never have meet Akito but from the stories I have heard its best not to cross her, god what is going on? Adam thought as he tried to raining in his rage so he could act._

_"Yes sir do you know who that is?"_

_"Just by reputation I was supposed to be introduced to her before..." He stopped man this is too much information at one time._

_"Who is she sir?"_

_"She is head of the Sohma family and from the stories I have heard she is very over protective of Kyoko" he began walking down the hall to his bedroom and crossing it toward the door next to the bed. Entering the bathroom and placing everything in the box that sat open on the counter._

_"What would you like me to do?" Barely paying attention to the older man who had followed him here Adam continued his packing._

_"Just get me all of the information I asked for. I don't care how just do!" He said walking back in to the bedroom placing the now packed case next to the door and then grabbing his bag and begun packing._

_"Sir where are you going?"_

_"Japan"_

"Mr. Blake we will be landing shortly” the flight attendant pulled him out of the haze of memories, as she moved her hand from behind his seat.

"Have my accommodations been set?" he asked not looking away from the window.

 "Yes sir a hotel room under a new false name."  When he stepped on the plane he had informed the attendant that he would need new accommodations, including setting up the use of a new alias since Mitch new every single one he used. _Knowing him he will be searching all over the globe for all of them._  She handed him the packet containing the new information, hotel reservation under the name Matthew Harding.

"Good" the file from what little information was then simply had what he already knew. At least two people one of them being Mitch had destroyed the best thing that had ever happened to him and he would be damned if he let it continue. As the plane landed he got in to the town car and thankfully was able to avoid all of the paparazzi and make it to his room unnoticed. As he stepped out on to his private terrace the sound of bells could be heard throughout the city. As the wind blew around him he spoke softly to no one. "Happy Birthday my dear, I am coming for you."

* * *

 

Satchi sat in the café, the foam on her cappuccino brushing against her lip as she drank waiting for Kyoko. The ding of the bell sounded as the orange haired teen walked into the door.  Ignoring the obvious stairs she walked right over towards her child hood friend and sat down. “God its cold out there why could I have been born in July like you?” She asked as she grabbed the second coffee that was sitting on the table and began to drink.

“True it is always cold on your birthday but you at least have a cool story, your first cry was as the New Year’s bells rang.” The brunette teased as she watched Kyoko roll her eyes, finally putting the cup down.  “So how did Neko like his gift?”

“He is so excited he tried to start packing last night.” The orange haired teen said with a laugh “Ohh thank your mom for me, I know I kind of asked a lot of her last night.” After overhearing the conversation between her father and brother Kyoko had called up Saatchi’s mom who was a travel agent to book Neko’s flight discreetly.

“She was so happy to help.” Satchi spoke waving her hands “Besides she thinks of you like another daughter.”

“Aww that’s sweet. So why did you want to meet me not that I really mind.” The orange haired teen asked as she unwrapped her scarf form around her neck.

“Here Happy birthday” Satchi placed the wrapped package on the table with and enormous smile on her face and pushed it forward. Excitement ran over Kyoko’s face as she carefully began to unwrap the gift. Opening the box she gasped when she saw it.

“Oh my god how did you get this?” she asked as she gently picked up the bracelet. It was a sliver charm bracelet that had each of the zodiac animals on it, the eyes of each animal was made up of a different precious stone, but what was unique  was there was a thirteenth charm: the cat  whose eyes were made out of rubies. “I found this in Austria how on earth could you have afforded it?”

“Well when you sent me that picture I knew that you just had to have it. So I knew t I looked up the shop on line and I reserved it finally was able to pay it off completely. When we were children I always found it funny how you used to beat any one up who would dare say anything bad about the cat of the zodiac.” Kyoko clasped the bracelet on and turned it on her wrist so that she could see every single charm. Once she reached the cat she touched it gently remembering the stories her mother had told her when she was young.

“Yes well you could say that my family is the year of the cat fan club” she joked as Satchi laughed a little, as she pondered the real meaning behind the phrase.

_Twelve year old Kyoko was walking around the estate after her most recent rehearsal as she reached Akito’s private garden she overheard a few of the servants talking._

_“Can you believe the young mistress will be studying abroad in a few years?”_

_“I know and to think that the daughter of the cat has surpassed the son of the rat. I never would have thought it would have happened.”_

_“He still should have been locked away, broken or not he was still the cat and he deserved to pay for that.”_

_“Hush now do not let the master hear you. If Akito finds out you are speaking this way she will kick you out.”_

_“That is true it would hurt that woman to much and master Akito is far too protective of that woman. Even if she is the wife of the cat.” Kyoko was confused. Cat? Rat? She ran until she found Akito and Shigure sitting in their private parlor. The former god was quietly reading as her husband was busy scribbling something down on some random paper, completely oblivious to the door that had just slammed open._

_“Akito something just happened and I need a little context” she said quietly as she sat down, it was rather common for the orange haired girl to walk into the couples private wing with announcing herself. Shigure chuckled as he glanced up at the preteen who rather than stayed sitting in an upright position she laid down on her back placing her hand behind her head, yep definably her father, he thought as he returned to his writing._

_“What is it little one?” the former god asked as she set aside the book she was reading._

_“Well I overheard so servants talking and I have to ask they said something about my dad being locked away and they referred to him as the Cat.”  The snap of Shigure’s pencil filled the heavy silence that followed, Akito took a ragged breathing._

_“Kyoko what exactly did you hear?” she asked the orange haired girl quietly relayed the entire conversation she had overheard._

_“Well this was bound to happen sooner or later.” Shigure said gravely as he saw the internal battle Akito was fighting running across her face. “My dear” he said placing a hand on his wife’s shoulder she looked over at him tears filling her eyes. “I know what you’re scared of but if she is going to understand she is going to have to hear it from you.” Nodding her head she took several deep breaths and looked over at the very confused little girl._

_“Kyoko do you remember the story of the Zodiac your mother used to tell you?”_

_“Yes, what about it.” She stated as she stared up at the ceiling. It had been her favorite bedtime story and she had recently been hearing her mother tell the same story to Neko. It was very different from the stories her classmates heard but she always loved her mother’s version best._

_“Well there is a lot more to the story that you do not know...”_

 “Thank you I love it” she said as the memory of how she learned of the curse and the truth about how her parents fell in love played in her mind.

“Well your welcome. So what do you have planned for today?”

“Nothing the opera house is closed for the day so we all get some time around our families. Though to be honest I could use a break from them.” The last few months she had been spending almost every free hour with the troop and all though they were nice it just wasn’t the same as when she was with her’s.

“What about the Madam?”

“Well she did want to practice today but I think I am just going to skip besides Akito practically shoved me out of the estate and ordered me to act my age. Whatever that means.” She grumbled quietly taking another drink, as the other teen thought about what was going on around town.

“Well there is a sale down town want to go check it out and spend way too much money on things we don’t need”

“Hmm that does sound like fun.”  Both girls laughed as they finished their drink and walked out of the tiny shop. Making their way downtown they noticed signs up all over the city advertising Adam’s tour. Kyoko sighed as she looked at a picture that was taken back in Rome. Satchi looked over at her friend and noticed the sad smile on the young star’s face. “What are you thinking about?”

“Things that happened a while ago, I remember when that picture was taken.”

“Kyoko , do you regret it? After everything that happened between you and Adam, would you go back and change it if you could?”  The orange haired teen looked over at her friend, a sad smile across her face as she pondered the question she had just been asked.

“No, I wouldn’t. I know this may sound crazy but I am okay with how things happened. Life isn’t always perfect, sometimes it’s messy and hurtful and not everyone is going to understand your reasons for doing everything. But in the end we can only deal with whatever life has handed us. Yes I am sad that it’s over and I wish that we had a little closer, but in the end I am happy to have known him for as long as I did. Mom once told me that there was a time when she was terrified that dad would be sent away from her and she would never see him again, but she always had faith that things would pull through. In the end that’s all we can ever do is hope that in the end things work out alright, honestly that is how I have been able to survive the last three months.”  Satchi stood there and listen to the speech that Kyoko was saying as the young star gazed at the poster in front of them.

“You know it’s amazing just how much you can be like your mother” she said quietly, the orange haired teen looked over at her friend a surprised look on her face. “Yes, I know about sixty percent of the time you are a Kyo clone. But I swear if I didn’t know any better I would swear that speech was from Thoru.”

“Well I guess that is true but I have one more question” she said looking a little to the left of Satchi.

“Yes?”

“Do you think that the shoes in that window will go with the dress in the one next to it?” she said pointing to the two store front windows. The brunette teen laughed grabbing the other by her elbow and wrapping her arm through hers.

“Well let’s go find out?” she said still laughing at the two walked towards the stores.

* * *

 

Momiji stood in front of Akito’s private room. The detective lay on the ground blood coming out of a small wound on his head which Hatori was bandaging up. _Thank god she only grazed him if she had been aiming I don’t think I he would have made it._ Sounds of furniture being over turned and broken accompanied the occasional crash of something being smashed. Shigure walked up and was about to enter when the former rabbit grabbed his hand shaking his head. "No you don't want to go in there right now." Seeing the angered and scared look on Momiji’s face Shigure nodded his head and waited for the sounds coming from the room to quiet down.

 Within the room a crumpled piece of paper laid in a mess of broken glass reading account owner verified. Owners name Gisele Dubois.

 


	25. Memories Repries

Akito signed as she sat in their family’s private box at the opera house.  As soon as Kyoko had started pursuing music Akito had gotten the box and taken the young girl to every production she could. Lazily she looked over at her husband who was busy scribbling away on some random pieces of paper.  “I swear you do more writing in the strangest places, than you do in you actual office.  I should just destroy that room.” She said snatching his papers and noticing their unrecognizable gibberish she was used to seeing whenever Shigure begun writing a new story.

“Darling you never told me that Thoru was going to be here. Oh and look she brought her kids.” The former dog cooed as he watched the brunette lead in several children as the rest filled in behind her.

“Yes, Kyoko managed to talk the owners of the house to allow the kids at the group homes to come and see the dress rehearsals.” Momiji spoke as he entered the booth.  “It’s one of the things she is most passionate about, you know every city we are in she finds all of the orphanages and if the house won’t let them come see dress rehearsals she will drag several of the other stars with her to do small performances.”

“How is she faring?” the former god asked as she looked over to the half German man. When they all had arrive Akito nearly pummeled the French woman, after learning of her involvement it took nearly everyone involved to convince the former god to wait to fire the woman.

“Well the madam has been kicked out of the dressing room by Aya.” He said with a laugh. As he remembered the former snake managing to look threating with a four month old strapped to his chest. “She should be ready soon, thought there is still one costume that isn’t done.”

“What is she starting with?” Shigure asked as the lights began to dim.

“Memories Reprise.” he said as the curtains began to open.

“What is she wearing?!!” Akito nearly shouted looking at her.

**_“Memory,_ **

**_Turn your face to the moonlight let your memory lead you,_ **

**_Open up, enter in,_ **

**_If you find there the meaning of what happiness is,_ **

**_Then a new life will begin.”_ **

As the teen began to sing she sat on a suspended rig that with the added attachment s looked like she was sitting atop of a roof, she was purposefully not looking at the audience and instead looking towards the left wing of the stage. She wore a faded pink Kimono that was haphazardly tied close, the back hanging to far down to be traditional and the sleeves hung way to long for her arms. Her hair looked like it had been teased to looked like it hadn’t been brushed in a while and on top of her head she wore a set of cat ears that matched her hair perfectly.  It was all that Momiji could do to not laugh. _I think Ayame would be dead if Kyo saw this, even if the song comes from the musical Cats._  

As the teen continued to sing on you could feel the longing in her voice, it was something that no one had ever taught her how to do but she just knew. Whatever the song she somehow was able to make the audience feel the true emotions behind the song and as she reached the climax he sat closer to the edge of his seat.

**_“Touch me,_ **

**_It's so easy to leave me,_ **

**_All alone with a memory,_ **

**_Of my days in the sun.”_ **

As she had begun to reach the climax of the song she turned her head to the audience and reached out her hand towards them the long sleeves falling away revealing her delicate wrist, as tears began to stream down her face.  All Momiji could feel was loneliest and desperation for any kind of human contact. Wishing desperately that Hanna could have been here he glanced over and noticed that Akito and Shigure were clinging to each other’s hands rather tightly.

**_“If you touch me, you'll understand what happiness is,_ **

**_Look, a new day has begun.”_ **

At the last line she looked over to the private boxes to the right of the stage and raised her hand as if she was pointing at an object that was hanging above their head, and retracted back and the curtain began to close.  Momiji looked down at Thoru as she sat tears streaming down her face she turned to one of the other workers and soon walked out. Momiji quickly walked out of the booth and made his way to the lobby.  He caught her just before she could walk out of the building.

“Thoru what’s wrong?” he asked looking at the tears that still were running down her face.

“Nothing, I was just thinking…” she said quietly as she tried to pull away.

“About what?” he said the grip his hand had on her wrist remained firm.

“Kyo” she said as she broke down in to more tears.  She curled down on to her knees as heart retching tears rolled down her face.

“What about him?” he crouched down next to the ball of a woman and waited for her to answer.

“That song, it felt like that could have been him. If the curse hadn’t broken.” She said quietly. “I remember that Shishou said that almost no one would even touch the cat once he was locked in to that room.” The tears continued to come and Momiji sat there releasing the truth behind her words, and he didn’t notice the person who came up behind them.

“Mom!?” Kyoko asked as she watched her manager try to comfort her mother. After several moments upon seeing her daughter, Thoru leapt up and wrapped her arms around her daughter, who hugged her mother in confusion as the older woman continued to sob.

“Yes! Yes! I am your mom and your dad is Kyo.” She continued to sob clutching her proof that the curse was really gone and that Kyo had never been taken from her. Kyoko looked over at the former rabbit rising and eyebrow as the man shook his head and chuckling.

“Mom what’s going on?” she asked cautiously, the sobs stopped all of a sudden.

“Oh nothing” she said almost instantly as she let go of her daughter her once pained face now her normal happy one. “You did so well!”  She walked off to go back to work.

“What was that?!” Kyoko asked as she pointed towards her mother’s disappearing back. _I don’t know what that was but it was not my mother,_ the teen thought as she turned her head towards the former rabbit.

“I don’t know the only time I have ever seen your mother to be that emotional was when…” Momiji stopped all of a sudden, _pregnant! She is only that emotional when she is pregnant!_

 


	26. I think you should go

Kyoko swerved around the various prop and backstage hands, _I forgot how much I loved this,_ she thought as she waved hello to several people she recognized. Turning she saw a very familiar group that was beginning to rehearse their number.  With the show opening in a few weeks several members of her troop had come to perform in the special show. _Where is Mariah?_ Kyoko thought as she peeked around the curtain to watch from the left wing, watching the trio of girls skip up to the front of the stage with their hands camped behind their backs as Momiji was standing center stage playing his violin.

“ ** _Look how the lights of the town,_**

**_The lights of the town are shinning now,_ **

**_Tonight I’ll be dancing around_ **

**_I am off on the road to Galway now.”_ **

The orange haired teen smiled as she watched the trio dance around Momiji who played the violin as he stepped back to center stage. She chuckled as the former rabbit nodded his head towards her and crossed his eye as he continued to play. Feeling a hand on her shoulder she turned and found Hanna standing there and motioning for her to follow. As they reached the back hallway Kyoko spoke.

“Where is Mariah?”

“She broke her leg last night, which is what I wanted to talk to you about.” Hanna said as she folded her hands in front of her body.

“Are they cutting this number?!” Looking towards the stage she watched the group preforming, hoping that they wouldn’t.

“No they want you to replace her.” The red headed woman said pointing a finger at the teen.

“What?” she said turning back towards her cousin-in-law.

“Come on. The group was telling me that they were teaching you this number.” She said trying to convince the orange haired teen.

“What about Awakening. It’s the opener they can’t get rid of that.”  Kyoko spoke trying to avoid answering.

“Mariah said she would be okay for that number since they are just standing on stage but they think you would help round out the group there as well. But as far as this one goes…” Hanna said as Kyoko looked towards the stage as the trio was doing a jig with their partners.  “Requires dancing” Nodding her head as she thought it over for several moments before speaking.

“Well it would be fun to work with Momiji” she giggled, the truth was that was the reason they were teaching her the number in the first place.

“Oh Good” Hanna took a relived breath as she pulled her phone out and sent a quick text to the production manager. “Now they are going to run through it again in twenty minutes, the dress is in your dressing room.”

“Okay it’s a good thing Mariah and I are the same size.” Kyoko called over her shoulder as she ran towards her dressing room door. As she neared it she heard a loud voice shouting on the other side, approaching slowly she stopped right outside of the slightly cracked door as she recognized the voice.

“No I am telling you to fix it. I am not going to tell you again!” The Madam’s voice bellowed. Opening the door Kyoko found the Madam gripping on to the warm up bar, her back turned towards the teen.

“Is everything okay?” she asked cautiously still standing near the door.

“No! That bastard ex of yours has been spreading more rumors about you.” The elder woman spat out as her knuckles began to turn white with how tight she was gripping on to the metal bar.

“So? We know it’s not true.” Kyoko said calmly hoping to settle down the seething woman.

“But everyone will believe them.”

“It doesn’t matter to me; why not just let it go?” The orange haired teen spoke quietly as she walked towards her mentor.

“No! You don’t understand: this has to be met head on!” Madam shouted.

In the past few months the elder had been attempting to fight back against the rumors that had been spread about the young starlet, and as the months dragged on a rift between the two had begun to form.

“No we don’t.”  _All this anger will not change anything that has happened doesn’t she see that?_ Kyoko thought as she was with in arms reach of the Madam.

“You are far too nice for your own good Sayuri” the elder woman spoke quietly, frustration creeping in to her voice.

“What?...” Kyoko walked over to the woman placing her hand on her shoulder “Madam, my name is Kyoko.” Recognition registered on Madam’s face as they both stood in silence for several moments.

“What are you doing here?” the elder woman said finally breaking the quiet but the tension in the air lingered.

“I need to change in to that dress.” She said pointing to the dress on the wall.

The madam turned looking at dress hanging on the wall. The bodice and dress was white with light green accents that ran along the front. Two draped pieces gathered along the full skirt. The Madam pulled the dress off of the hanger as Kyoko began to untie her Kimono draping it on the chair, pulling the full length petticoat off the wall stepping in to it. The pair remained silent as Kyoko hooked the petticoat on to the bottom of her corset. Pulling the dress over her head the madam helped smooth out the fabric of the skirt. Silently Kyoko turned so that the madam could tie up the back.

“This isn’t working” the orange haired teen spoke quietly.

“What do you mean?” The strain in the Madam’s voice nearly broke Kyoko as she felt the laces being pulled tight against her body.

“You can’t keep me tucked away in the world of Opera.”  Kyoko spoke after she felt the ribbon in the back fall out of the hands of her mentor.

“Kyoko…” The Madam stammered trying to figure out what to say.

“There is so much I want to do with my life and my career and Opera is just one part of it.” Turning to face her mentor she continued. “And if you can’t accept that then I think it is time we part ways.”

“Do you really mean that?” The hurt look on the Madam’s face nearly broke the resolve Kyoko had, but this needed to be done.

Being back with her father reminded her just how much she missed playing the piano and practicing her martial arts, and it was high time she stood up for them.

“Yes” she said as she walked out the door leaving the madam alone.

*****************

"Little Kyo stop fidgeting." Ayame grumbled as he was fussing over the final draft of one of Kyoko's costumes.  It had been a week since Kyoko had spoken to the Madam, _She’s been avoiding me._ The teen thought as the sliver haired man attached pins to her dress.

"Damn it, stop calling me that. You have been using me as your Barbie doll all day I want to go outside." Kyoko moved and the dress moved with her. The tight corseted top fitted her like a second skin as intricate ivy vines wind their way from the straps that fell off her shoulders downwards towards the flair of her multilayered skirt.

"I wish it was in a different color" the former Snake mused as she twirled towards the door, the voluminous skirt skating across the floor. Mine sitting behind him holding their son who was playing with several pieces of scrap fabric as he cooed.

"Wishing you were somehow here again takes place in a graveyard. Black is appropriate." She laughed as she walked down the hall. Ayame had shown up practically dragging her out of class to try on a few of her costumes. Reaching the back door she exited the building relived to see that the press had left. Spinning in the dress she looked over at the former snake who turned white as she was about to ask what the problem was she heard his voice.

"Kyoko!?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the song being preformed is Teir abhaile Riu by Celtic woman i recommend you check it out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-fFx-Edj2U


	27. You're Fired

Adam sat in the darkened venue waiting; he had called his manager earlier in the week and had informed Mitch that they need to discuss somethings and where to find him. He took a sip of his coffee as he watch Sarah direct the crew not even suspecting that he was there. As the crew was hanging the last of the rigging Mitch appeared on the stage.

“Sarah I trust everything is underway.” He said the authority ringing in his voice as Sarah turned around in surprise.

“What the hell are you doing here?” the venom in her voice surprised Adam in the several years he had known her she had never raised her voice at any one.

“What is with the attitude I am simply doing my job and checking that you do yours’s.”  The condescension in the manager’s voice didn’t sit well with Adam. _Is this what he is like when he thinks I am not around?_ The young man thought.

“Yes well I doubt you will be employed for much longer so I have decided that being nice to you is a waste of my effort” she said gruffly as she turned back towards her work.  Mitch walked over towards her grabbing her arm and turning her to face him as he spoke.

“What dear girl makes you think that I will be fired?” he growled in her face as a confident smirk found its way on to the small woman’s face.

“Because I know what you did to Adam and Kyoko.” The silence that followed made the stage feel cold as the normally cheerful girl stared down the manger, the same smirk still sitting on her face as she watched the usually confident man flinch and the mention of Kyoko.  

“I don’t know what you are referring too...” Mitch began carefully, releasing her arm as she adjusted the tie around his neck nervously.

“I am referring to the fact that not only have you broken them up but you have started this smear campaign against the poor girl. Plus you have been lying to Adam, isolating him from his family and worst of all you keep destroying his writing” she said as she counted off his sins on her fingers.

“You have no proof of this.” Mitch said angrily as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants.

“Actually,” Adam said as the lights in the venue lit up revealing the young star as both of his employees were stunned as he sat in the empty third row. “She doesn’t have to I have the proof right here.” He said lifting up the file that contained all of the information the private detective had gathered. 

“Adam?” Mitch spoke and astonishment ruled his face, while Sarah looked rather smug as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“You know, I didn’t want to believe this when I saw it but…”  He motioned to his security guard in the booth and the large video screen began to play the video of Mitch and the sight manager in Rome. Sitting back he watched his old manager pale.

“Adam I can explain.” Mitch pleaded as Adam began walking up the ramp to the stage.

“I owe you a lot and you know it, you took a chance on a teen from rural Ohio and I have been very grateful for all of the doors you have opened for me. But what you have done is inexcusable.” Looking over at the man he once trusted.  “You’re fired” he said firmly.

“Adam we have a contract you just can’t fire me!” the former manager began to argue.

“No, I can. You’re fired! Now leave before I have you thrown out.” He screamed as Mitch began to walk off stage he was approached by a stranger.

“Mitch Hague?’ the man asked.

“Yes what do you want?” reaching out the strange man handed Mitch a file folder.

“You’ve been served.” Not even bothering to look at the paperwork Mitch stormed out of the theater. The slamming of doors could be heard in the distance as the two stood in silence for several minutes.

“What was that?” Sarah asked quietly.

“I am suing him for breach of contract.”  The teen said as he continued to stare down the door that Mitch had left from, _and that is just the beginning._

“That’s going to get messy.” She warned thinking about what the vile man was capable of.

“I don’t care in the end everyone will know what kind of man he is.” Adam spoke quietly as he closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. The two stood silent again, as Sarah fought to not over run the teen with various questions that were running through her mind.

“Adam what are you going to do now?”  The question slipped out before she had a chance to stop it.

“Well that depends.” He said turning towards the woman on the stage.

“On what?” Sarah raised her eyebrow at the teen, as a mischievous grin began to stretch across his handsome face. _I haven’t seen him smile in a very long time,_ she thought.

“A few things. The first is how you would feel about a promotion?” he said leaning towards her slightly with his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

“What?” she looked startled as he chuckled lightly.

“I am currently in need of a new manager, and the position is yours” Adam spoke firmly as he watched confusion run across the woman’s face.

“Why?” she asked, _I am sure there are several people more qualified that would jump and the chance to work with him._

“Because you fought for the truth; I know what Momiji, Akito and you were doing.”  He said quietly.

“Really?” her large eyes widening realizing that he had found out about the meetings.

“Yes, and just so you know I want to thank you for trying to figure out this mess for me.”  He smiled at her for the second time as Sarah realized that in spite of what happened he was still offering her the chance of a life time.

“Well then I accept” she said smiling wide.

“Good, we can hash out the details tomorrow.”  Adam said as he was turning to leave and began to walk back up the aisle.

“Adam what are you going to do now?”  She called after him.

“I am going for a walk” he spoke without turning around as he waved to her goodbye walking out the door.

 Adam walked around the city aimlessly. _God I have been here almost a month and no one has found me,_ he thought as he continued to walk. The horn of a passing taxi pulled Adam from his thoughts, as he crossed the street he came to a quiet road. Not really paying an attention, his phone vibrated in his pocket but he ignored it as he continued to walk aimlessly.

 As he rounded the corner he saw a flash of orange. Shaking his head he continued but as he did a person stepped in to his path leaving him frozen where he stood. Her hair falling gracefully down her back as she spun, causing the skit of the corseted dress she wore to fill with air and move grace fully across the concrete. _My god she is beautiful,_ he thought as he stood there staring at her willing himself to reach out a touch her for the first time in five months but the only thing he could seem to do was call out to her,

“Kyoko?!”

 


	28. The Chase

Kyoko turned around as she heard the voice that she had been avoiding for so long. As she saw him he looked utterly shocked as they both stood their staring at each other for what seemed like hours. He took a breath to say something but as he did a scream from the upper widow and over shadowed his voice.

 "Ahhh its Adam Blake!" The random girl screamed but Adam never took his eyes off of Kyoko.

As the scream filled Kyoko's ears she realized that her eyes had begun to fill with tears threating to over flow. _No I am not going to let him see me cry_. Turning she picked up the full skirt and began to run.

"Kyoko wait!" Adam shouted as he took off after her, as she fled.

* * *

 

"Man I can't believe it. Thoru is knocked up again." Ou sighs as she and Hana walked back to the estate from lunch with their best friend.

 "I knew her waves felt different the last time we saw her." The black hair woman spoke as she moved her bangs back behind her ear.

"Hey maybe this time she’ll have a kid that's a little less like orange top" Arissa said as the duo continued to walk, all of a sudden they heard someone shouting as a mass of black fabric and orange hair ran by them descending the stairs in to the park.

"Damn it, how the hell are you running in a corset? Kyoko!" The second figure followed close behind as Ou and Hana looked at each other, turning to watch the teens as they continued to run deeper in to the park.

"Then again maybe Kyoko is a little bit more like her mother then we thought." A smile graced the face of the former Yankee as she remembered this familiar scene playing out once before several years ago.

* * *

 

Kyoko ran as fast as she could. _Damn this dress_ , turning to see where Adam was and once realizing how close to her he was she began to pick up speed not noticing the steps coming up ahead. As she fled forward her foot failed to make contact with the cement. Noticing her mistake she waited to meet the pavement but when the pain never came she looked to see two strong arms had enveloped her, the familiar scent reaching her nose as they both panted trying to catch their breath. After a few moments she remembered _wait I am supposed to be mad at him_. Reluctantly pulling herself away she slapped him hard across the face. Glaring over him as he held his stinging cheek, as her tears began to fall down her face.

 "How could you!" She shouted, as she turned again trying to escape.

 "Kyoko, please wait." Adam grabbed her arm; he turned her around and crushed her body to his so she could not run again.

"No, leave me alone." She struggled in his arms as he held her even closer attempting to fuse with her completely.

"No, not until I have the chance to talk to you." He practically begged trying to reach the girl who seemed content to bruise every inch of his arms and chest as she began to free herself landing random punches.

"What more do you have to say that wasn't in that note!" The orange haired teen screamed. Adam froze his eyes wide as he stared down at the girl struggling in his arms. _They never told her_.

 "Baby believe me this was not my idea I never wanted this." Adam stalled trying to figure out how to tell her what had been going on.

 "Ha like I believe that. It's been five months, I know Momiji took my phone but you know every way to contact me!" Kyoko didn’t know what she was more hurt about the ending of their relationship, or the fact that magically after five months he shows up and wanted to talk.

 "Please, let me explain." The desperation in his voice surprised Kyoko but the anger she felt over ruled everything in that moment.

"I hate you!" She shouted pushing him to the ground. He sat there watching her walk away.

"It was Mitch!" He shouted tears beginning to fall. She stopped turning towards him “he broke us up and every day I have been in blinding pain. Please just hear me out!" She stood in place folding her arms in front of her chest.

"Well you've got two minutes" she said firmly.

"I swear the minute I found out I came to find you. I don't care why but the bastard of a manager decided he could play god." Adam tried not to chuckle as he saw the stubborn set of her jaw, caused her to pout as she stood in front of him arms crossed.

"Adam." Her patience was wearing thin, _if I stay any longer I am going to break I can’t be alone with him,_ she thought.

"No Kyoko I don't want to hear it. I know these last few months have been painful and I know what I promised you when we started going out but please at least give me the chance to make it up to you!" He begged.

 Kyoko looked at him heart torn he had broken up with her in a note, said horrible things about her and their relationship, _wait no Mitch said those things Adam was never in any of the press conferences._ _Who is to say that it was even Adam that left the note at the counter?_ Her eyes began to water again as she saw a car come behind them at the park exit just at the bottom of the stairs, walking over towards him she wrapped her arms around him as his did the same to her.

 "Fine" she said irritated, as she looked up at his surprised face without removing herself from his arms. "But if you ever break up with me again. I will sic Akito on you." She threatened poking her finger in to his chest with every word, as he smiled anxiously.

 


	29. The Madam's reason

"Well it seems that your little stunt didn't work." Akito chided as her and the Madam watched over the two young lovers’ reconciliation from the former god’s private office.

After the photographers had caught up to the pair in the park they had quickly duct in to the waiting car which brought then to the family estate. The teens were currently sitting under the cherry blossom trees in Akito’s garden; Adam’s back was against one of the trees with Kyoko sitting with her back against his chest. Their heads close enough to each other as they spoke quietly on their separation.

"What do you want?" the rawness of the Madam’s voice startled the former god, as she could tell that the woman had been crying.

 "An explanation. You see unlike that manager of his I never understood your motivation." Akito kept her tone flat as she stood behind the French woman watching the teens.

"It’s quite simple I was protecting her."  The Madam said so quietly that Akito had barely heard the woman speak.

"By breaking her heart?!” the former god fought the urge to pummel the woman where she sat.

 "I have seen what love does to people like her."  The Madam spoke as she thought back to her youth.

_The Halls of the grand estate were magnificently decorated as the two young women walked near the edges of the party; the pair had already performed several hours ago and had been enjoying the party._

_“Come on Sayuri, we have been here for over two hours. We have an early plane to catch tomorrow I highly doubt that he is coming.” The young French woman called a she tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ears. As the hours had ticked by the pianist had become more and more agitated as the man she had been waiting for had yet to show up_

_“Gisele you don’t know that, look he said he was going to be here. After all a Sohma always keeps his word.” Sayuri said as she straightened her kimono._

_. In truth Gisele found it odd, after knowing the girl for many years, the French girl knew that her friend was fonder of western clothes than traditional ones. It’s that guy she keeps mentioning that has her changing so much, Gisele thought as she narrowed her eye at her longtime friend. They had met at a summer music program when they were children and had been best friends ever since._

_“Sohma or not, you have so much going for you right now. Look I know your grandparents have been putting pressure on you to settle down but you just turned twenty one there is now hurry.” The blonde spoke as she looked around the room hoping that the man in question would not show up. She did not like the person Sayuri was whenever he was around._

_“You just don’t understand when I am around him I feel safe like he would take care of me and any kids we may have. Plus he is so kind.” The black haired girl said as she continued to walk around the room again, her friend not far behind her._

_“He is not kind. He is a control freak who is going to want perfect order. Remember I volunteered at my mother’s Domestic violence shelter, I know what losers look like and he is one of them.”_

_“Well I am sorry but you just don’t understand Japanese Culture, you are French American after all.” Giselle took a step back as she watched her best friend ditch her practically running towards the man who had just arrived several hours late._

_“I just think you could do better” she said to no one._

"You know it’s funny I knew your name sounded familiar but it wasn't until we started shifting through your background that I realized why." Akito said pulling the Madam out of her memories.

"I knew the moment I saw her who she was. I had to help her. Don't you see I could never be there for her. Once she married that despicable man she stopped traveling. I would come to see her, but as soon as her husband got home she was a different person. She swore he loved her and that work was just over bearing so she stayed close to help him. And then she got pregnant as was so happy. But once her son was born she became a recluse." Tears began to stream down her face. "She called me just before...” the woman stopped as a sob racked her body remembering the dead tone her once lively friend spoke with the last time she spoke to her.  “Sayuri said it was all her fault and she had to make up for it. I never understood. And that bastard wouldn't even let me go to the funeral. She was like a sister to me and I couldn't even say goodbye." The French woman cried as she mourned once again the tragic loss of her best friend.

"She is not her grandmother" Akito said firmly.

"I watched her talented son ignore his god given talent and once I saw Kyoko I knew this was my chance to make it up to her." The French woman spat as her breathing began to even out the sobbing subsiding.

The former god flinched slightly as she pondered what would have happened had Kyo not been cursed as the cat. _Then again with his father being who he is who is to say that things would have been better?_ Akito thought as the Madam wiped her leaking eyes with a handkerchief, the two teens oblivious to what was going on not ten feet away from them.

 "Why did you break them up?" Akito asked firmly agitation ringing in her voice.

"Because I saw history relating it’s self all over again. I didn't want to lose my last line to her."

“Well it appeared that it will happen anyway.” Akito scoffed as she began to leave. The Madam turned and looked towards the former god as she called out to the woman.

 "Before I go, I want to know why you are so over protective of her?"

"When I look at Kyoko, despite all of the evidence to the contrary all I see is Thoru." The former God responses looking over at the pair huddled close "and in spite of the fact I tried to avoid it at one time, I can't help but want to protect her in any way I can." 


	30. Alls Well That Ends Well

“I can’t believe it’s been Six months since Kyoko came home.” Thoru spoke fondly as she ran her hands over her finally protruding midsection. “And now she is off to London.” Without even looking Kyo could hear the pout that was on his wife’s face.

“Yes, well I still can’t believe she took the boy back.” Kyo sat on the porch with his wife as they watched Neko play with Sota in the yard as Kyoko and Adam were sitting under the tree against the wall their hands joined together, the pair had been nearly joined at the hip for the last two months.

“Kyo, after everything that has happened, you still don’t like him?” Thoru asked looking up at her husband, avoiding her gaze he watched his children.

“No I don’t. And it’s my right as a father to disapprove of the men my daughter date.”  He said growling little as he watched Adam bring his lips up to Kyoko’s forehead as he showered her with little kisses.

“Kyo don’t you think that’s a little harsh?” Momiji asked as he and Hanna walked up towards the pair. Kyo rolled his eyes, as Thoru laughed.  

“Have you heard any word from the Madam?” The pregnant woman asked as Hanna sat down next to her.

“Yeah she wrote Kyoko a letter; explain why she did what she did, but we haven’t seen her since the opening” Momiji spoke as he remembered watching the woman from the wings, waiting for her to storm back an demand that she be rehired. After the show Kyoko found a bouquet of roses on her dressing table with the note attached. It was the last anyone had seen of her, the note said she was returning to France.

“But that doesn’t excuse it” Kyo spoke up still cross about the entire situation. The Madam had tried to explain it to him but he wouldn’t listen.  A week ago Kyo had received a letter form the woman, begrudgingly he had read it and was shocked that she had known his mother.

“No but she did apologize, which is more than I can say for Mitch” The half German man spoke.

“How is that bastard?”  The former cat asked as the two woman had stood up and walked over towards the teen couple as it looked like Kyoko was about to strangle her brother for dropping a bucket of water on the couple. _I owe Neko and extra two thousand yen in his allowance,_ Kyo thought.

“He is trying to counter sue for breach of contract” the former rabbit said with a laugh as he watched the orange haired teen being held back by her boyfriend as her brother cowered behind his mother. Kyo laughed at the thought as he watched his daughter storm up towards the house.

“What’s wrong?” Kyo asked as Kyoko kept twisting her hair to help it dry faster.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?! I’ll tell you what is wrong, Adam and I have that reporter coming in twenty minutes, and my soon to be dead little brother…” she yelled in the direction of Neko who paled and hid behind a laughing Adam. “Thought it would be a good idea to soak us both.”

“Kyoko it’s just water.” The former cat said calmly trying to hide the smile that his son was able to pull of the plan perfectly.

“It took me forty five minutes to get ready!” she shouted as she stormed upstairs.

* * *

 

“Hi, I am here with the newly reunited Adam Blake and Kyoko Sohma.” The reporter began as the couple sat across form her in the living room. “The media has been abuzz with the recent news regarding your break up and now your make up. So what was going on in both of your heads?”

“Well I can’t speak for Adam but, once everything came to light I honestly didn’t know what to think and I still don’t. All that really matters to me it that the truth has now been brought to light and those responsible are not in our lives anymore, and that Adam and I were able to work things out.” The orange haired teen spoke as she held on to Adams hand.

“I would agree with Kyoko, we may not be able to change what happens but at least we are together again.”

“Aww that is really sweet.” The reporter gushed as the couple smiled at each other. “So Adam has Kyoko changed any since this has occurred?”

“No, she can be load, stubborn and has a little temper” Kyoko shook her head as Adam began to speak “But at the same time she is kind, caring, empathetic in a way I never thought possible, through accepting of anyone, and somehow gives the best advice at precisely the right time without even realizing it.”  As Adam finished Kyoko stared at his for several minutes digesting what he said.

“Huh” she sighed.

“What is it?” the reporter asked.

“Nothing… it’s just… I guess I am more like my mother than I thought.” 

The End.

 


End file.
